Rough Around the Edges
by PhantomInvader
Summary: There are high expectations set for the child of the clan leader and Tsahik, but unfortunately Jake and Neytiri's son, Mosyk, seems to screw up his every attempt to live up to them. Not all Na'vi are graceful, after all. COMPLETED. Del. Scenes for fun.
1. Mosyk's Training Tussle

**Yet another fandom I'm stepping into. It's nice to broaden our horizons.**

**Yet ANOTHER story in this archive about Jake and Neytiri's kid. You may find this one a bit different...maybe. It's a coming of age story, sort of. And a little "What If?" fic, as in "What if Jake and Neytiri's son wasn't exactly the poised, brilliant young boy that everyone expected?"**

**What if he was a little dork? **

**XD This isn't anything too serious, I just wanna see what it becomes if I keep going.  
**

**Before you antagonize me over anything you think I've gotten wrong: there is a major barrage of author's notes at the end explaining some of the things you might not notice the first time around.**

**I do not own Avatar, but I do own Mosyk.  
**

**Read. It's good for you.  
**

**--Phanny  
**

* * *

It had been thirteen years since Jake Sully had become leader of the Omaticaya clan, thirteen years since princess Neytiri had taken on the role of Tsahik after the passing of her mother, and thirteen years after the mated pair had had their first child.

The son of Neytiri and Jake was the son of nobility and was expected to excel at everything his parents had excelled at -- both were great warriors and hunters, why wouldn't their first born son be the same?

Unfortunately, the answer to that question had since turned out to be "because life isn't fair."

Mosyk, the prince of the Omaticaya clan had somehow turned out to be the very opposite of a graceful, capable Na'vi -- the now thirteen-year-old was deemed the clumsiest, most inept Na'vi that had been seen in a long time, not to mention one of the smallest. When part of a race in which the adults stand at nearly nine feet, and the adolescents reach six by the time they turn thirteen, it was very embarrassing to be only five feet and two inches tall and to be looked down upon even by his own peers. He was known to careless and sometimes lazy, and though his parents loved him they couldn't help but be a little frustrated with him at times (especially because Neytiri wasn't exactly known for having a lot of patience, even for her own son).

"Mosyk," Mosyk's ear twitched as a low voice called his name. He mumbled something along the lines 'go away,' but the voice didn't relent. "Mosyk, get up."

Mosyk lay curled up in a tight ball in his hammock, sound asleep. It was early in the morning, and most of his family, the other members of the clan included, were waking slowly, preparing for another day.

Jake Sully shook his head in frustration. For some reason his son never woke on time, prompting the daily ritual that had started since the day he had been deemed old enough to start training.

"Mosyk, I will tip this hammock over if I have to."

Mosyk grumbled, but did not stir.

"Oh, for Eywa's sake," when Jake made a promise he followed through, as always, and with a yelp of surprise young Mosyk was sprawled out on the floor of their small home. He shook his head wildly, trying to drag himself out of the haze of sleep completely.

"Come on," Jake helped his son off of the floor, as he was still dazed from his rude awakening, "after breakfast you have to practice with your _tsko swizaw _today."

Mosyk winced. He hated bows and arrows -- all that precise aiming just wasn't for him. But then his father said the magic words.

"You don't want Ou'tan to beat you again, do you?"

The only thing worse than Mosyk's clumsiness was his temper and competitiveness. Ou'tan was the same age as him, but taller, stronger, and, in his _humble _opinion, better than his peers in every way. When that boy went on one of his bragging sprees it took all of Mosyk's self-control not to just hit him in the jaw to shut him up.

Never mind the fact that he'd have to jump pretty high to even _reach _Ou'tan's face at all, and he'd probably do more damage to his own hand by taking a swing at him.

"I don't even care what he thinks of me," Mosyk lied, "he's a…what's the word mother uses on you?"

"_Skxawng_," Jake sighed.

"Yeah," Mosyk nodded, "he's a big one."

It took all of Jake's might not to agree with his son. As the clan leader he needed to be impartial, right? It was just hard to deny that when it came to intelligence, Ou'tan wasn't exactly the brightest star in the sky.

When Jake turned back to his son he saw the young Na'vi's mouth open, prepared to speak.

"Yes, you have to go," Mosyk nearly jumped out of his skin when he's mother's voice rang in his ear. He was about to ask her how she knew what he was going to say, but she cut him off, "you complain every time before you go. I expect it."

"But I'm no good at it," Mosyk grumbled, his voice soon taking on a pleading tone, "sa'nu, you've seen me…once I made a tiny misstep and poor Hufwe got a _swizaw _right in the--"

"And that is _exactly _why you must _practice_," Neytiri interrupted, "go eat and then follow Txur and the others and _try _not to hit anyone this time."

Mosyk knew that would be easier said than done, and when he looked up he saw Hufwe herself give him a rather scathing look as she passed by.

* * *

"Mosyk," Txur, the warrior in charge of training the younger Na'vi for the day, said to the young prince, "you are aiming too far to the right."

Mosyk grunted in frustration, lowering his bow and sighing. A few minutes ago he had been aiming too far to the left, then he was told to move farther away from the tree -- his current target -- and _now _his aim was off _again. _Nothing ever seemed right!

Too bad he couldn't blame his teacher, Txur. The elder Na'vi was strict, but not unreasonable, and he was willing to help Mosyk as best he could, but for some reason he just couldn't get it right.

"When you are hunting you have only one chance, you must hit your target on the first try," Txur said, not unkindly, "because this is only training you do not have to aim as quickly, but you must hit the target at least once before you may rest."

"He'll be up all night," Ou'tan snickered to one of his friends. Mosyk's eyes narrowed.

Ou'tan had the same light blue skin as any other Na'vi, same with his tail, hands and feet…somehow, even though Ou'tan looked pretty average, Mosyk couldn't help but look at him closer and see everything about him that made him so ugly in his eyes. Ou'tan had a big nose, a flat face with a stupid, blank expression permanently imprinted on it, and his eyes were narrow and just…ugly. He was a bully and an idiot, he was hideous inside and out, and yet Mosyk couldn't stop himself from feeling inferior by comparison.

It was when Txur had left the area to help another youth farther away from Mosyk that Ou'tan and his friends decided to quit playing nice.

"Tiny little prince can't even shoot a _swizaw_?" Ou'tan muttered in that gravelly voice of his, "what's the point in even trying? A baby_ yerik_ would step on you before you could aim!"

Mosyk took a deep breath and said nothing. _'Stay calm,' _he thought, _'do not react, stay calm…'_

"Are you _ignoring _me?" Ou'tan said, irritated, "you can't even _hear _right!"

'_Calmcalmcalmcalm…' _Mosyk's thoughts became more frantic.

"When was the last time you did something right, Mosyk?" Ou'tan taunted, "when was the last time you did anything to make you a little less of a useless--OOF!"

Mosyk's inner mantra had failed. He'd dropped his bow and arrow instantly and launched himself at the larger boy, bowling him over. A girl near them squealed in surprise as both boys writhed on the ground. This was no sparring match or anything -- just a brutal, senseless fight.

Mosyk tried to beat and bruise every part of Ou'tan that he could reach, while Ou'tan tried to get his feet beneath Mosyk's stomach to kick him off. Mosyk had always been taught not to harm any member of his clan, but his temper had gotten the better of him, and only when he heard a booming voice behind him did he actually _realize _what he was doing.

"_Enough!_" Txur wrapped his arms around Mosyk's waist, prying him off of his clan mate at last. One of the other children had obviously gone to fetch him when the fight began.

"Continue training," Txur said to the other children, who had gathered around like a little audience, "I'll be back soon."

Mosyk frowned at the fact that Txur could easily sling him over his shoulder and carry him, while he had a tight grip on Ou'tan's shoulder as he led them both back to Hometree.

Mosyk winced at the thought of facing his parents. He was in _so _much trouble.

* * *

If looks could kill, Neytiri would have reduced her son to ashes by now. Mosyk could do nothing but keep his head down, his eyes focused only on his feet as he avoided his mother's gaze.

Unfortunately, that was something Neytiri would not accept.

"Mosyk, you will look me in the eye when I speak to you," she said sternly, and when her order seemed to fall on deaf ears she cupped her hand beneath Mosyk's chin and raised his head to face her, "first, are you hurt?"

Mosyk looked at some of his cuts and scrapes, but shook his head, "not badly. They can wait."

"Then explain yourself," the Tsahik's gaze was hard, "what made you believe that starting a fight would be a good idea?"

"It was just--Ou'tan was teasing me _again _and--"

"And getting angry and reacting like you did is what makes him tease you," Neytiri interrupted, "he _wants_ you to react, and--"

"So how come _I'm _always the one to get in trouble?!" Mosyk shouted suddenly, "he bothers _me _and he gets away with it!"

"Ou'tan will be punished too," Neytiri tried to keep her voice level, "neither of you are getting away with anything, now stop that yelling and let me speak!"

Mosyk quickly shut his mouth, wincing as he waited for his punishment.

"You two will not be training," Neytiri began, "you will _both_ stay in the camp and you will perform whatever tasks your father and I give you _without arguing, _no matter how unimportant and dull they seem to you."

"Will I get to train again?" Mosyk finally gathered up the nerve to speak, "ever?"

"When I think you deserve it," Neytiri replied.

A long stretch of silence spread between them before Mosyk spoke.

"Mother…I really am sorry."

"I believe you," Neytiri's gaze softened a bit, "that does not reverse what you did, but I believe you."

Apparently, sometimes being sorry just wasn't enough.

"Go find Ha'ni," Neytiri said, speaking of the clan healer, "she'll put something on those scratches. I expect to see you at dawn tomorrow, no later."

Mosyk sighed and left his mother, his head lowered and his back arched in a slouch.

He had to be awake at _dawn_?

* * *

**Notes notes notes:**

**First of all, the only names in here that are actual Na'vi words are Hufwe and Txur. The other ones I just sort of formed in my brain and that I liked the sound of.**

**I know not all of the dialogue is italicized or anything, but yes all of the dialogue in this chapter is spoken in Na'vi.**

**In the first part, the reason Mosyk suddenly goes from calling Neytiri "mother" to "_Sa'nu_" (mama/mommy) is because he is begging and pleading. You can't tell me you've never done it before -- going from "yes mom" to "_pleeeease_ mommy?? D:"  
**

**Mosyk's name (in my head, at least) is pronounced "Moss-EEK." The emphasis is on the latter half of the name.**

**Mosyk's height is not just to make him all cute 'n speshul. Jake's human genes have to come in somewhere, right? Mosyk has a completely average Na'vi appearance, but instead of being the average height of a Na'vi thirteen-year-old, he's about the same height as a _human _thirteen-year-old. Guess he got the short end of the stick, eh? *rim shot***

**I cannot see Neytiri or Jake (especially Neytiri) being lenient on Mosyk just because he's their son. When it comes to punishment he gets the same treatment as everyone else. And I totally think that Jake would tip his hammock upside down to wake him up if he was driven to it.  
**

**I'm not sure if it's mentioned or not in the movie (I've only seen it once, and I had to go to the bathroom twice and had a friend talking loudly into my ear for a good bit of it too) but I think the Na'vi clans have healers.**

**Mosyk gets a little more likable as the story progresses, don't worry.  
**


	2. In With the Old

**I'm sorry if the formatting on this thing is screwy. Document manager won't let me upload a new file so I had to take one of my already uploaded files and copy-paste this into it. I tried to fix it as best I could.**

**So, thanks for the reviews, guys! I'm glad you like Mosyk, I put quite a bit of effort into him.**

**And I had a free period today at school so I decided to sketch out a whole plotline for this story...I have A LOT of work cut out for me. But it's gonna be so fun!**

**I'm working on chapter three as we speak...type...whatever.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Why did dawn have to come so _early?_

Mosyk yawned and curled up tighter, his tail lightly brushing his nose. He made no attempt to get out of bed until his mother shook him roughly to wake him.

"Come on," she said, gently pulling him out of his hammock, "when I say dawn I mean dawn. There's too much to be done to sleep in."

"Mhmm," Mosyk grumbled, still not quite awake, "stuff…to do. Mmf, so early…"

He yawned loudly, shaking himself. He let his mother lead him out of the hollow his family shared and into the pale light of the morning. After almost stumbling several times out of lack of awareness he sat down where Neytiri left him to get Ou'tan. When both boys were out of bed Neytiri looked around, watching the other clan members slowly rise, including Jake. She scanned the entire camp, looking for something for the boys to do. Finally, she nodded to herself as though satisfied with her choices.

"You," Neytiri pointed to a drowsy Ou'tan. "Will help Nan'tey and Mawey with their weaving. Good weaving takes time and many supplies -- you will bring them what they ask for, and do as they say."

Ou'tan sighed. He obviously hated the idea, but even he didn't dare argue with Neytiri.

"And you," Mosyk jumped when his mother's attention turned to him. "Will care for the elders today. They have given their strength to our clan for many years, you should be honored to serve them."

Mosyk stared -- he had to take care of cranky old people?

"But don't the elders usually look after themselves? Why do I have to…" Mosyk stopped talking when Neytiri stared him down. He sighed, "I will be happy to serve the people who have served us for so many years, mother."

Neytiri nodded. "That's what I thought," she looked at them both, "off you go, then. If they ask tell them that I sent you."

Mosyk begrudgingly stood, glaring at the ground as he walked. Though the elderly Na'vi lived in separate hollows, they were clustered together on one side of the Hometree and they often sat outside in the light to talk about boring old people stuff. When he approached four of them sitting outside and chattering, he just stood still behind them. Maybe they wouldn't notice his presence and he could sneak away…

"Good morning, Mosyk," an old woman greeted him. After a bit of contemplation, Mosyk remembered that her name was Tswayon, "what brings you here?"

"Mother sent me here…I am to care for you today," he mumbled, trying to sound indifferent and hide the fact that he was very unwilling to be there, "but if you don't need me--"

"If the Tsahik sent you here today, then this is where you will stay," Tswayon cut him off, letting out a raspy chuckle, "you wouldn't want to be in _more_ trouble, would you?"

Mosyk shook his head. Tswayon gestured for him to have a seat and he nervously did so. Standing up while they were sitting had made him feel taller, but now he was again reminded of his small stature.

"I'm sure we can find something for you to do," Tswayon looked around at her friends.

"We've never had anyone to serve us," a man said in a kind, gravelly voice, "it's a nice idea, even if it is a punishment."

"_I_ certainly don't need a child for a servant," a woman had just appeared from her hollow and towered over Mosyk before sitting down. "Especially violent ones like this one here."

Mosyk was taken aback by her harsh words, especially because the others had been fairly kind to him so far.

"Y'enit, stop that whining," the man that Mosyk soon recognized as Atan said, "_you_ are the one acting like a child now."

Y'enit's thin face held a scowl as she glanced at Atan, then at Mosyk. Her large golden eyes bore into him, and he couldn't help but cringe away from her. Her tail swished, as though satisfied with her ability to strike fear in him.

"Don't listen to her, child," Tswayon placed a hand on Mosyk's shoulder, "she'd find fault with Eywa. Why don't you fetch breakfast for us -- and something for yourself, too."

Mosyk was glad to get away from them all, and the smell of food made his stomach growl.

* * *

Somehow, whenever Mosyk finished a task given to him, Tswayon, Atan, and Y'enit (well, not really Y'enit. The woman wanted nothing to do with him) always found more. He had cleaned everything that they said he should clean, he'd fetched whatever they asked for, he did everything without complaint (which was quite an accomplishment in itself). When was he going to be _done_?

Luckily, the light in the sky was fading, and dinner would be ready soon, and then he could go to sleep. Then maybe, _just maybe_, Neytiri would let him train again tomorrow. He'd take flying arrows over this torture any day.

"All right, I think you've done enough," Tswayon finally said, and Mosyk nearly fainted with relief. Before he left, he heard the sound of small children coming toward them, and the elderly Na'vi smiled slightly.

"Story?" The boy speaking looked around six, "finish the one from last night?"

Mosyk had forgotten that the elders sometimes doubled as storytellers -- he used to come too when he was much younger. He turned away slowly before he heard.

"The one about the very first Toruk Makto," the boy continued, "you never finished."

"All right, hush and we'll tell," Tswayon said, waiting for the children to sit quietly, "now, where did I leave off…?"

Mosyk slowly sat down as well. He hadn't heard this one before.

* * *

The only thing worse than serving the elders once was starting all over the very next day. Apparently he hadn't yet learned his lesson.  
The thing that disturbed Mosyk the most was that he was beginning to enjoy spending time with them…they knew a lot of strange stories, of events that happened before he was born, of important people, and legends that explained everything -- why the forest was so big, why it got dark at night, and where the stars come from.

That didn't mean, of course, that they didn't work him to death.

"This is _heavy_," Mosyk grunted as he carried a ceramic jug of water to the elders. His complaint wasn't unfounded -- the jug was nearly as big as he was.

"You're a strong young boy," Tswayon encouraged him, "you can handle it."

"What do you even _need_ this for?" Mosyk asked as he finally set the jug down. They had plenty of water already.

"We don't," Y'enit didn't bother to hide a cruel smirk, "but we can't just leave you without any chores. Your mother will think we've gone soft."

"Y'enit!" Tswayon obviously hadn't known Y'enit's purpose (or lack thereof) of making him fetch the water, "don't send him on pointless trips like that!"

Mosyk seethed. He'd been trying to keep control of his temper all day, but Y'enit wasn't helping. She'd had him running around all day for nothing, he didn't know why he kept listening to her -- maybe it was just his fear of getting himself in deeper trouble. He didn't care if she was older than him, she didn't have to be such a…such a…

"_Skxawng!_ You are no more than an old, cranky, wrinkled _baby_! I don't care if you _are_ older than me…you don't have to like_ me_, well, _I_ don't have to show respect to the likes of _you_!"

Mosyk panted like he'd run around the world twice in one day, and angered boiled in his stomach. Tswayon looked at him in shock, and Atan shook his head in disappointment. Suddenly, they all turned to Y'enit, who was making a quick, raspy, wheezing sound. Mosyk's blood ran cold -- did he kill her just by yelling?! How was he going to explain that to his parents?!

Mosyk took another moment to panic before he realized…

Y'enit was _laughing._

"The pampered prince has a backbone after all," the old woman snickered, "I've never had someone stand to me before, boy."

"So…" Mosyk wondered, "you're okay?"

"I'm fine, child," Y'enit said seriously, then she actually smiled, "maybe you won't let me toy with you so easily next time. Go and rest."  
Tswayon gave Mosyk a good-natured smile and sent him on his way.

For the first time Mosyk had gotten in an argument with someone…_and won._

It felt good.

* * *

**Y'enit is important. Really. This party's just getting started.**


	3. Anticipation

**And this is chapter three and the end of my obsessively quick updates -- I'll still update, but probably not two chapters in one day like this. Plus I have to go to bed, even if tomorrow is Saturday.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Though she herself wouldn't admit it, it had become fairly obvious that cranky, impatient Y'enit had developed a soft spot for Mosyk. The amount of verbal abuse they threw at each other had dropped, and some of the insults Y'enit uttered began to sound more like playful teasing. Y'enit had always watched Mosyk get picked on by others, and she assumed that he was, quite simply, a very slow, unintelligent brat. Now that she saw he had potential to do great things, she used the knowledge she had gathered in all her years to give him little nudges in the right direction.

"Mother says I can train again tomorrow," Mosyk told her, sitting cross-legged in front of her. He sounded excited. "Will you miss me?" He added cheekily.

"Miss who?" Y'enit smirked, looking around and pretending not to see the tiny Na'vi. She looked down at him, "oh, there you are. Didn't see you there. For Eywa's sake, you need to grow a little."

"Or a lot," Mosyk frowned, "anyway, I could, you know, visit…maybe. I mean, if I get through a day without being teased about anything, I can come to you and you'll fix that, right?"

"You can come to me whenever you feel the need," Y'enit told him, "Tswayon and Atan seem to enjoy having young people around."

"And you don't?" Mosyk asked, "aw, no fair. Maybe it's because you're no fun."

Y'enit frowned and flicked Mosyk's nose with her tail. "What if I told your parents what you say to me, eh? Why make a poor old woman upset?"

"What poor old woman?" Mosyk smirked.

"It's getting dark," Y'enit said suddenly, "are you going to leave or do I have to chase you out of here?"

"You couldn't if you tried, old wo--" Mosyk's ears flicked back as Y'enit bared her teeth and growled playfully, "all right, I'm going. One day I'll teach you how to have fun."

Y'enit snorted. For a youngster, that boy was all right.

* * *

"Mosyk," Jake snapped his fingers in front of his son's face as they sat on the ground and ate, surrounded by other Na'vi sharing food with each other. "You're staring again."

"Sorry," Mosyk said absently. His elbows rested on his knees as he sat cross-legged on the ground, his head propped up in his hands. He couldn't help but stare when it came to _her_.

Tanhi was by far one of the most desirable females in the clan, though she was only thirteen like Mosyk. Her hair reached the small of her back, flowing even with the weight of the decorative beads and feathers woven into it. Her golden eyes were large and bright, and she had the most wonderful smile…

"Mosyk, she won't like you if you just stare," Jake said, "you'll freak her out, that's what you'll do."

Mosyk didn't know what "freaking out" meant, but he tore his gaze away from Tanhi and back to his food anyway.

"I just wanna talk to her…" Mosyk sighed, then looked up at Jake, "how did you first meet mother?"

Jake swallowed his food with a loud gulp before speaking.

"She, uh, saved me from a pack of _nantang_," Jake admitted, then he frowned when Mosyk began to laugh, "don't laugh with your mouth full."

"I'm not laughing," Mosyk lied, stifling giggles, "but she…how did you let a pack of _nantang_ to attack you? Were you stupid back then?" Mosyk quickly closed his mouth, "sorry, I'm sorry. But it's _really funny_…"

"Hey," Jake smirked in spite of himself, "are we forgetting which one of us already _has_ a mate here?"

"Well I don't wanna_ mate_ with her…not yet…" Mosyk mused, sighing, "but she's _really_ pretty…" He paused before looking at Jake again. "How did you know you wanted to mate with mother?"

After a moment of thought, Jake sighed, "I'm not _quite_ sure how to describe it and make it child-friendly at the same time…you're mother was smart, brave, and beautiful, of course, but all of that was what made me like her. What made me want to be hers…you have to find someone who _Sees_ you, someone you can't imagine being without. After awhile you just…know." Jake realized that he wasn't very good at explaining things like this, and that Mosyk was hardly listening anyway.

"Maybe one day _she'll_ See _me_…" Mosyk shrugged, his eyes closed.

* * *

It was on his way into the forest that Mosyk forgot why he was so eager to get back to training. It was just going to turn out the same as every other time. He would get everything wrong, Ou'tan would tease him for it, and then he would go back home and lay in his hammock feeling like a failure. Again. He realized with dismay that he'd rather be at home talking with Y'enit than at the training grounds.

Mosyk felt Txur rest a hand on his shoulder, and he shuddered. He immediately turned around to look up at the older warrior, anticipating a warning.

"Look, I really, _really_ promise to behave this time and…what do you want to say to me?" He slowly lapsed back into his habit of speaking to older people with respect, holding his tongue and letting Txur speak.

"I'm not here to scold you," Txur told him, and Mosyk let out a sigh of relief, "but I am here to suggest something."

Mosyk gulped.

"You are having trouble with your training, I know that, so I feel the need to try something different with you," Txur told him, "perhaps if you were trained by someone your own age you would fare better."

Mosyk's eyes widened. _'Not Ou'tan, not Ou'tan, NOT OU'TAN…'_ he thought desperately.

Instead, Txur stepped aside and gently urged a young girl forward. She looked rather annoyed, and regarded Mosyk with disinterest.

"Endyna, you are doing very well," Txur nodded, "see if you can get Mosyk in shape."

Mosyk didn't like this. This Endyna's eyes were narrowed, giving her an ugly, unsatisfied demeanor, but Mosyk couldn't help but imagine that, without the scowl, she would look rather pretty. He mentally slapped himself for thinking that way when she spoke.

"I'm doing quite a bit of charity, working with you," Endyna said, a sense of authority in her voice that made Mosyk seethe, "I'll see if I can make something out of you. Come on," Mosyk could barely blinked before she disappeared into the trees. "Keep up!"

"Should've just stayed with the old people, Mosyk," he said to himself, swallowing his pride and leaping after his new 'teacher.'

* * *

**Girls girls everywhere! Poor Mosyk. Y HALLO THAR MAH NAME IS PUBERTY.**

**Endyna is important too. I'll describe her better later.**

**Oh, and the part about Mosyk asking Jake if he was "stupid back then" is because even though he knows his father was an avatar, he doesn't quite understand or believe that there's any other world besides Pandora, so it'd seem pretty stupid to him if someone didn't know how to avoid the local wildlife ;)**


	4. The Journey to the Banana Fruit!

**I'm on a roll right now -- it's the weekend and I got time. Thanks for all the feedback, guys!**

**Also, to kartracer76: Don't worry. What's a good Avatar fic without Norm? XD (Just kidding -- there are plenty of excellent fics here without him, but I love the guy so he's gonna be in here at some point -- though he may not play a big part.)  
**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Endyna had turned out to be like something that Mosyk's father described to him not too long ago -- what was it? Oh, a drill sergeant.  
A really, really tough, impatient, sociopath of a drill sergeant.

"H-how long…have we…been…running?" Mosyk panted, his chest heaving with the effort. His feet hurt and his legs and arms felt like they were held together with limp, wet vines instead of actual muscle.

"Not long enough, apparently," Endyna huffed, "I don't like this any more than you do, so just do what I say and we won't have a problem."

Mosyk had been chasing her through the trees for what seemed like hours, tripping over vines and plants on his way, and once almost stepping on a poor sleeping fan lizard. The only thing that kept him going was how she kept throwing cruel taunts at him as they ran, making him want to catch her even _more_ -- he just had to get close enough to yank her tail and she'd go down and he'd win, he told himself repeatedly.

But somewhere along the way -- maybe it was when his legs started aching, or when his lungs started burning, or when his entire body seemed to freeze, telling him "just stop it, idiot." -- but whatever it was, he let himself fall to the ground, wheezing, and waiting for Endyna to notice that he was no longer running.

"Come on, get up," Endyna tapped her foot in the dirt impatiently, "you need to exercise, and we don't have all day."

"I _have_ exercised," Mosyk moaned, "more than I wanted to. Can we start, uhm, slower? Really, _really_ slow?"

"And when will we have time for that, hm?"

"When the feeling in my legs comes back…?"

Endyna sighed, "fine. It's getting late anyway. We'll work on your stamina tomorrow."

"Can you try to leave all of your _crazy_ at home next time?" Mosyk hissed, trying to stand, "ow, ow, ow, ow…how far is home from here?"

"Do you need me to carry you, Tenderfoot?" Endyna taunted as she ran ahead again. Mosyk seethed as he limped after her, his legs burning like fire -- as was his temper. Never in his life had Mosyk wanted to hit a girl as much as he did right now.

* * *

"I hate her," Mosyk repeated to his mother and father as they all prepared for bed, "I really do."

"You barely know her," Jake said, "Endyna's a nice girl, a little independent, maybe a little--"

"Crazy," Mosyk interrupted, rubbing his sore legs, "no, _a lot_ crazy. She had me chasing her through the forest for no reason! And she kept calling me names while we ran so I'd wanna catch her and just…I just wanted to--_ARGH_!" Mosyk made a frustrated noise and a strangling motion with his hands, but his mother tried to calm him.

"You remember what happened last time you thought things like that?" Neytiri said seriously, "as much as I'm sure Y'enit would enjoy your company, I don't want to have to punish you again."

"Then punish _Endyna_!" Mosyk moaned, "if I _did_ lose my temper again -- which I _won't_ -- it would be _her_ fault! Just, you know, a precautionary punishment. For her safety!"

"Mosyk, go to sleep," Jake sighed, and Neytiri flicked his forehead when he couldn't stifle a chuckle, "maybe if you get started early in the morning none of the crazy will have time to build up."

Mosyk shook his head, "I can't go to sleep! What if she kidnaps me, ties me up with bolas and makes me climb that really tall tree!? Can't be too careful!"

"You should go to sleep," Jake restated, "otherwise your mother and I can't have our _alone time_…"

Mosyk's eyes widened, "you wouldn't do that stuff in front of _me_ would you?" His face wore an expression of disgust and horror.

"Are going to sleep?" Neytiri asked.

"Yeesh, _fine_!" Mosyk hurried into his own hammock, far away from theirs, "I know you're mated and stuff, but don't _act_ like it until I'm asleep!"

Jake and Neytiri waited until they could hear their son's quiet snores before they both burst out in quiet laughter.

"I swear, he gets it from _you_," Neytiri said, before resting her head on Jake's chest and drifting to sleep. Jake soon followed.

* * *

Every day the next week, Mosyk came home battered and bruised from Endyna's rough training of him. Though she didn't kidnap him and tie him up with bolas, she still made him climb one of the tallest trees in the forest (taking great care in choosing the one with as few branches as possible, so he had to rely on pure strength and balance to reach the top) and he had yet to make it all the way up, and it didn't help that an angry _prolemuris_ inhabited said tree, and kept throwing fruit at him when he came to close to the top.

Every day, though, he got a little higher before he fell to the ground, and every day the pain from the fall became greater as he fell from greater heights. He swore he was actually developing some muscle mass now, though Endyna wouldn't admit it. She hadn't taught him how to use his bow and arrow, and she wouldn't until he reached the very top of the tree, which Mosyk believed wouldn't take much longer.

"Almost there, Tenderfoot!" Endyna called from the ground. Mosyk wanted to see her expression, but he dare not look down. He knew he was pretty high, but knowing exactly how high would probably make him nauseous and even more nervous. "Don't stop now!"

Mosyk kept his eyes on his destination, only to freeze when he saw a familiar ape-like creature stare at him from deep in the leaves.

"Don't you dare," he said nervously, but the _prolemuris_ squealed and hurled a brightly colored _utu mauti_ right at his face. The fruit was only available this high up, and because of that it was usually a treat -- Mosyk wished he could enjoy it. "When I get up there I'll take all your stupid fruit!"

"Don't take _all_ of it!" Endyna called up, "it's better than what it _could_ be tossing at you!"

Mosyk couldn't help but shudder at the thought and continued to climb. He could almost reach one of the branches at the top when the _prolemuris _struck again.

"Stop that!" He new the creature didn't understand him, but it looked quite smug at the fact that it was annoying him -- the tone in Mosyk's voice had revealed that much. Driven by his irritation, Mosyk took a risk and jumped to reach one of the branches and pull himself to the top. Now he could get closer to the thing and really look at it.

What was it his mother taught him? The children of Eywa, animals and everything, were merely trying to live. If he should harm a creature, she said, he should make amends with it -- or if he killed one for food, he should show his respect for how it gave its life to feed The People.

"I did not come to harm you," Mosyk said gently, "I have come to grow stronger, and I have, and you helped." After the _prolemuris_ stared at him for a moment, it plucked another piece of fruit from it's tree and held it out for him. Mosyk nervously took it after making sure it wouldn't be thrown at his already sticky face. "Thank you. I would pet you if I didn't think you'd bite me."

He was prepared to take the _utu mauti_ back to Hometree to show it to everyone, and he cautiously plucked another. Maybe he could share his luck.

He looked around the tree and his eyes widened.

"Endyna?" He called to his teacher.

"What?"

"…How do I get down?!"

* * *

**...He'll figure out how...eventually.**

_**Utu mauti, **_**as it read in the _Activist's Survival Guide, _is "banana fruit," and is usually only available really high up and is therefore a special treat for the finder. I think Mosyk deserves it for all the crap Endyna's putting him through XD. But I think she really is proud of him for sticking with it and getting up there.**

**I tried to find the Na'vi name for the prolemuris, but I couldn't find it, so that's probably the scientific name I guess.**

**And Neytiri and Jake didn't have their _alone time _that night -- Mosyk kinda ruined the mood. :|**

**I'll describe Endyna more in depth later, and she'll get more tolerable.  
**


	5. Bullseye

**It finally let me upload a document! I didn't have to copy and paste and space it out on my own, which was really annoying btw.**

**Hope you like this one! There's some more on Endyna in here, and some more Y'enit and Mosyk bonding. Not as much Jake and Neytiri though...:P**

** Thanks for all the faves and alerts, guys! YAY! I never expected people to like this that much!**

**This may be the last time I update every single day, though. I have school tomorrow -- Well, maybe. I'm actually feeling a little under the weather...but I may not update still if I'm a sickly teen (I get grumpy XD).  
**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**"…And _then _I finally got to the top of the tree, and I made friends with a _prolemuris _and it gave me some of its fruit!" Mosyk said, once again sitting in front of Y'enit. He held one of the _utu mauti _he had found in his lap, looking like he _wanted _to eat it, but he wanted to save it, too. He'd heard they were very tasty, but he might not get another one for a long time.

"It will go bad if you don't eat it," Y'enit told him, "you went through all that trouble to get it, and you should enjoy it."

"Do you want it?" Mosyk asked.

"No," Y'enit told him, "the fruit belongs to the finder, and only he or she can eat it -- it's only polite. If anyone wants some you tell them to go get their own, all right?" Y'enit's gravelly laugh made Mosyk giggle too.

"Endyna's still crazy," Mosyk continued, "but now that I climbed the tree maybe she'll teach me something new. She's smart but…I hate how she thinks she's the boss of me." Mosyk stuck out his tongue in disgust.

"That girl has spirit in her, that's true," Y'enit said, "but so do you. She thinks you'll fail her tests -- don't prove her right. That will make her respect you, by _learning_."

Mosyk nodded, but his gaze was no longer on Y'enit. Right at that moment, Tanhi had decided to saunter past on her way to her family's hollow. Mosyk's eyes looked her up and down, a dreamy look on his face. He snapped out of his trance when Y'enit bonked him on the head.

"It's rude to stare," Y'enit scolded him, "hasn't your father told you that?"

Mosyk sighed, "yes. But I-I can't help it!" His voice dropped to a whisper, "do you think she likes me?"

"I don't think she even notices you."

Mosyk's ears drooped. Brutal honesty was _not _what he had been looking for.

"Honestly, I've spoken to that girl," Y'enit continued, "she's Tswayon's granddaughter, you know. She's not as much of a catch as you think she is. You're a little too smart for a girl like that."

"You think I'm smart?" Mosyk grinned, and then he suddenly frowned, "you're not teasing me, right?"

"Yes, I think you're smart," Y'enit patted him on the head, "smarter than that Ou'tan boy, at least. Now, don't let that compliment go to your head, boy."

"Well, being smarter than Ou'tan isn't saying much…" Mosyk mused to himself, "but thank you. Oh, and mother wants to know if you'll be eating with the rest of the clan tonight."

"Ah, I'll think I'll be here," Y'enit said, "it's too crowded over there for an old woman like me."

"Oh," Mosyk looked a little disappointed, "all right, then."

They were both silent for a few moments before Mosyk heard his father call him for dinner.

"Oh, I better go," Mosyk told Y'enit.

"Go on," Y'enit told him as he wandered off, "and eat that fruit before somebody swipes it from you!"

"I will!" Mosyk said, rushing to sit with his father and mother near the food cooking in the center of the tree

* * *

Mosyk had been right. Without the scowl on her face, Endyna _was _rather pretty. Not as pretty as Tanhi, not even close, but she wasn't ugly. Her eyes were large, and were more of a brownish-gold than they slightly lighter deep-yellow color of Tanhi's, and her hair wasn't strewn with feathers and ribbons, though a few strands held some brightly colored beads. Her face was thin, as was the bridge of her nose (not like the broader face of him and his father), and her skin was the same cyan-tone of his mother's.

"Focus!" Mosyk received a slap in the face, his third one that day, from Endyna when he started to get distracted, either by her or a very odd looking bird that was pecking at a fruit tree. "What is it with boys daydreaming about girls who don't like you?"

"I wasn't _daydreaming_," Mosyk lied, blushing a shade of violet, "especially not about girls that _I _don't like!"

"Then stop looking at _me_ and focus on the target!" Mosyk hated it when Endyna scolded him like a child. However, it was easier to focus now that her face was taken up by a sneer, making her ugly again.

"I would if you would stop yelling at me!" Mosyk hissed, "I know you think I'm just a big _skxawng, _but you're not helping me _at all_, which, by the way, is why you're here!"

Mosyk expected a harsh comeback, but Endyna was looking at him in surprise.

"I don't think you're stupid," she said, "I think you _act _stupidly, but I don't think you _are _stupid."

Mosyk stared dumbly at her for a moment. All this time she had been treating him like an idiot, when she didn't really think he _was _an idiot? Why didn't she make up her mind? _'Girls are crazy!' _He decided, _'especially this one!'_

"Now, back to training, Tenderfoot," Endyna continued, "look at the target. Focus only on the target. Everything else? It's not here. Me? I'm not here. Nothing is here but you, the target, and your _tsko swizaw. _Got it?"

"If only you really _weren't _here…" Mosyk muttered, but he did as she said. He'd been trying and failing miserably at hitting the target all morning, if the massive pile of used arrows in the nearby bushes were any indicator. He readied his bow and pulled back…

"No, wait," Endyna got behind him and grabbed his arms, "you'll just hit the ground if you shoot like that. Aim higher," she grabbed his wrists from behind and pulled them into the right position, not noticing how Mosyk shuddered as her body touched his. She was really close…a _girl _was really close to him -- touching him!

Somehow he expected to enjoy it more than he actually did, but that was because of who the girl happened to be.

"All right, there," Endyna back away from him and allowed him to shoot, "try hard this time."

Mosyk closed his eyes for a moment taking a deep breath before letting go, shooting his arrow.

It hit the target with a loud _thunk._

What was it his father said this was on his home planet?

"_Bullseye_!"

* * *

Even though Mosyk had hit his first successful target, Endyna made him hit it five more times before he could go in, which he somewhat understood -- she just wanted to make sure it wasn't by chance and that he had actually learned something. Turns out he had taken some of her lessons to heart. She said she'd take him out every day and make him hit ten targets until he reached fifty. So far, counting the six from the first day, he was at twenty-three. Three more shots until he made ten for the day and could go home.

"Come on, you're doing great," Mosyk was unaccustomed to Endyna's encouragement, but now that she'd noticed he was catching on to her lessons, she was only too happy to give it to him. "Just three more."

Mosyk nodded, his face scrunched up in concentration. His now stronger fingers curled around his arrow as he pulled back, and he let go and it hit only a few millimeters shy of the target. He looked at Endyna nervously.

"Look how close it is, it totally counts!" He pleaded.

"That inaccuracy could cost you a kill out on a hunting trip," Endyna insisted, "try again."

Just because she encouraged him now didn't mean she had softened up on him. Her need for perfection was going to be the death of him, he thought.

"But--"

"No buts," Endyna frowned, "again. Now."

Part of the reason for Mosyk's newfound accuracy was that he would do anything to get her off of his back. He shot two more times before he got it right. He eventually made his other shots as well, and Endyna said it was time to call it quits -- even though she challenged him to a race back home, which he lost. Again.

When the reached the Hometree, Txur and Jake were there to great them, and both wondered what was going on -- mostly worrying if they were in trouble.

"Ah, there you are," Txur said, smiling in spite of himself, "you two stay out late. You're not working the boy too hard, are you Endyna?"

"Well…" Mosyk began, averting his eyes. Endyna elbowed him in the ribs, and he winced. "I mean, no. Not at all."

"I have spoken with the Olo'eyktan," Txur to a moment to gesture to Jake, "and he has agreed that my trainees can go on their first hunting mission."

Mosyk trembled with excitement, but paused, "don't we need to make Iknimaya first? Bond with an Ikran?"

"This is a small mission," Txur nodded, "before you may bond with an Ikran, you must make sure that you can make a successful kill on your own. You are still only beginners; it will be a while before you are actual _taronyu. _Unless you do not wish to go…"

"No, no, we do!" Mosyk and Endyna said simultaneously.

"Tomorrow morning then," Jake agreed, "but Txur has given me one condition."

"Which is…?" Endyna asked.

"You will go in pairs. It is much safer."

Mosyk and Endyna looked at each other, unhappily realizing that they would be stuck together again, only this time it was a real mission.

"Then it is decided," Txur nodded to his leader, "we will see how much they have learned tomorrow, beginning at dawn."

* * *

**Dun dun DUNNNNNN!!**

**Seriously though, writing this hunting trip is gonna be fun...**

**Also, Mosyk's having some girl trouble again...let's here it for hormones! :D  
**


	6. First Time Isn't Really the Charm

**Reason for update: I started this yesterday, so I didn't have much more to do.**

**And, so far, I have no homework.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**"Mosyk, please eat _something,_" Neytiri rubbed her son's back soothingly, and she could feel him shaking, "you will need much strength today."

Mosyk knew that very well, and that was what made not hungry in the first place. He wanted to go on his first real hunt _so _badly, but the thought of really being out there, being expected to bring something back, and being exposed to the real forest and all its dangers with only Endyna for company made him nauseous.

"_Sa'nu_, do you really think I can do this?" Mosyk nervously wrapped his arms around his mother's waist, something he hadn't done in awhile, and hugged her. "I really want to but I-I don't know if I _can._"

"I believe you can do whatever you put your mind to," Neytiri stroked her son's hair gently, "but if you want to do well today, _you _must believe that, too -- and, preferably, eat something as well."

"M'not hungry," Mosyk said, poking a bit of _yerik _meat with his fingers.

"Eat your fruit at least," Neytiri insisted, "you'll be going very soon. It's just starting to get light out, and you said you would leave at dawn."

Mosyk, who usually enjoyed fruit, had to force himself to swallow it. He almost didn't notice his father sit next to him until he spoke.

"Nervous?" When Mosyk nodded, Jake continued, "I'd kinda be surprised if you weren't, honestly. I think you'll do a good job, Txur obviously thinks you'll do a good job, and Y'enit…what does Y'enit say?"

"She said 'try to aim well and don't let anything eat you'," Mosyk said, picking at his food again.

"Well that's…useful." Jake said after a moment of thought, "keep that in mind, too."

"Is that all you're eating?" Neytiri asked, watching her son push his food around to make it look like he had eaten some of it. She sighed, "well, I don't want you to make yourself feel sick. Do you think you're ready?"

"No," Mosyk said, "but…I guess this is my chance to…"

"To do what?" Neytiri prompted him to finish his sentence.

"To…" Mosyk paused, looking at his feet, "to prove I'm not a failure."

"Who said you were a failure?" Jake asked, shocked. He knew his son had self-esteem issues, but he hadn't know the boy thought of himself as a failure.

"Everyone," Mosyk said, still not looking up, "even if they don't say it, they know it."

"Now, now, no more of that talk," Neytiri said sternly, "no one thinks of you that way."

Mosyk didn't respond.

"You know what I learned, especially from your mother's training?" Jake put a hand on Mosyk's shoulder. "A failure is someone who is so afraid of not succeeding that they don't even try. All you have to do out there is prove that you're not going to give up, all right?"

Mosyk nodded, and he couldn't hide a smile.

"Mosyk, get over here!" Mosyk jumped when he heard Endyna speak, "let's go!"

"Remember to do your best!" Jake said as Mosyk began to leave, "and don't let anything eat you!"

* * *

Ou'tan was not very bright, not very humble, and definitely not very nice. Of course, why should he be? He was the son of the best hunter in the whole clan, and when he got older _he _would be the best hunter in the clan. He worked hard, and he was the best -- the best at _everything. _

Ou'tan was entitled to have a little fun with his clan mates, especially the weaker ones that didn't stand a chance against him -- not one of them could match his muscular superiority and massive weight. It was okay for him to pick those smaller than him, because they couldn't fight back.

That little Mosyk, the little _prince_, the little weakling, had the _nerve _to stand up to him! To start a fight, even -- _he_ got in trouble for that! All he was doing was having a little fun, and Mosyk had the gall to attack him out of nowhere!

Now Ou'tan was known as a bully, he and his friend Udrau had had their name dragged through the mud by that little _skxawng_!

Now that they were all on their first hunt, they were alone and trusted to be responsible.

But Ou'tan would be the best hunter -- a little prank could be forgiven.

When Ou'tan and Udrau found Endyna and Mosyk stepping carefully through the forest, being as silent as possible (it was obvious that Mosyk would be more stealthy, seeing as he was so much smaller and could squeeze into tight spaces, too). Ou'tan watched as they both surrounded a _Talioang_ on both sides, bows and arrows at the ready. The looks on their faces were _priceless _when Udrau deliberately snapped a twig, sending the beast galloping away.

"Sorry," Udrau said, not very convincing at all, "clumsy me."

"What are you even doing here?" Endyna said harshly, and Mosyk's burning glare was actually rather disturbing.

"We just wanted to help," Ou'tan shrugged, "we found a whole herd of Yerik in one of the clearings back there."

Mosyk looked unconvinced, but Endyna looked torn. If they were joking, which was the more likely scenario, they would fall into some sort of trap, no doubt. But still…if they _weren't_, they couldn't pass up the chance to bring in as much prey as possible.

Mosyk looked at Endyna, shaking his head furiously, but Endyna hesitated before agreeing.

_Snap. _Right into the trap.

* * *

Endyna and Mosyk didn't notice how Ou'tan and Udrau had mysteriously disappeared until after they realized that they had come into an empty clearing.

"I _told _you," Mosyk hiffed, but Endyna sighed in frustration.

"If you weren't so paranoid, we could have gotten here sooner." Endyna said.

"Are you kidding me?" Mosyk looked shocked, "you didn't seriously buy that line, did you? Endyna they are _evil _boys -- even if they had found a whole herd, they wouldn't tell us about it!"

"Maybe you stomping through the forest on those clumsy feet of yours scared them off?"

"I don't _stomp_," Mosyk said, offended, "maybe all your yelling could have done it!"

They hardly noticed how loudly they were yelling until they heard several angry growls. Both of them turned a very pale shade of blue.

There had been no herd of _yerik_, but there _was _a den of at least five, now very angry, _nantang._

Mosyk and Endyna looked at each other, their eyes widening with horror.

"Run?"

"Run. _Now._"

Both young Na'vi dashed away as quickly as their feet would allow, tailed by an angry pack of rabid beasts, practically roaring as they gave chase.

* * *

**Don't yell around a viperwolf den.** **They need their beauty sleep.**

_**RUNNNNNN!!!! D:**_


	7. Lost and Not Yet Found

**No real homework again even though I should be reading Jane Eyre right now.**

**I'll do it later.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Mosyk had always hated running. It made his lungs burn, it made his breath short, and it made his legs throb. But, he thought, if there was ever a time to start liking it, it would be when he was being chased by a pack of angry _nantang_.

He could practically feel their warm breath on his heels, but he couldn't run any faster than his current pace. At least, he didn't _think _he could.

Mosyk saw Endyna far ahead of him, and he seethed at the fact that a _girl _was so much faster than he was -- not that he was sexist or anything like that, but he didn't think it was very fair. He had to catch up!

'_Faster…' _He thought, determined. He pushed his legs to move faster, to leap and cover more ground with each step while still being able to weave through the trees. _'Come on, faster!'_

He noticed the plants now rushing past him so that they were nothing but multi-colored blurs. With more agility than he thought he could possess he leaped around the trees surrounding him.

'_FASTER!' _He could no longer hear the pack of viper wolves tailing them, only the wind rushing around him, whistling in his ears. He didn't notice how fast he was going until he collided with Endyna, and it was right then that he noticed one flaw in his newfound speed.

…He couldn't stop. No matter _how _hard he tried, he couldn't get his legs to stop moving. He was somehow dragging Endyna along with him in his incredible sprint. Well, maybe they had gotten away…

"Mosyk, stop!" Endyna said, sounding distressed.

"I'm _trying!_" Mosyk said, equally panicked, but not for the same reason.

"I mean it!" Endyna said, "stop before we--"

Mosyk didn't need to hear the end of her sentence -- he was experiencing firsthand what had worried her so badly.

He hadn't noticed that they were running along the river until it was too late. They both felt the ground disappear beneath them as Mosyk dragged them both off of the edge of the largest waterfall in the entire forest.

Neither Mosyk or Endyna let go of each other's hands until they hit the water with a loud splash.

Mosyk knew how to swim, so why couldn't he get out? He couldn't tell which way was up, and his muscles froze up in shock of hitting the water so suddenly. When he regained control of his body, he managed to drag himself onto a rock in the center of the river, and right then he realized that he was dragging Endyna up too, his hand still clasped to hers when he was holding on for dear life. Finally they both were up out of the water, coughing and shaking, spitting out copious amounts of water. Mosyk realized that the _nantang _had retreated when they fell, assuming that they were dead and that there was no point in chasing them anymore.

"You okay?" Mosyk rasped when he stopped coughing.

Endyna panted heavily before answering. She checked herself over. "Yeah, I think so," she said, and she gasped as she looked at Mosyk, "Mosyk, you're bleeding!"

Mosyk's eyes widened, "wha--where?!" He asked in a panic. When he looked down at himself and discovered a long gash running from his shoulder to a little above his elbow, dripping red blood onto the stone beneath them. "Ack! No, no, I hate blood, oh, I'm gonna be sick…" Mosyk had always been squeamish, and he looked almost green.

"Here," today Endyna had worn one ribbon in her hair, which was more like a red piece of dull fabric that the shiny ribbon that other girls often wore. She undid her hair and wrapped it around his long cut. "That won't do forever, but when we get home Ha'ni will fix it."

Mosyk nodded before looking around, his eyes going even wider. "Uh, Endyna?"

"Yeah?"

"Which way is home?"

* * *

"I can't believe we're lost," Mosyk said for what seemed like the fiftieth time in one hour, "I've never been lost before! I don't know how to get…_un-lost_!"

Though Endyna understood Mosyk's fear, she couldn't help but be annoyed by his overreacting. "I _heard _you the _twelfth _time. We're not lost, we just…"

"Have no idea where we are!" Mosyk sounded panicky _again. _

"Get a hold of yourself!" Endyna hissed at the shaking young Na'vi, "we won't get home any faster if you go insane on the way there!"

"Oh yeah, _I'm _insane," Mosyk growled under his breath, "well _I _wasn't the one who decided to fall for Ou'tan's stupid trick!"

"Are you saying this is _my _fault?"

"I'm _saying _that our current situation was influenced by your stupidity!"

They were facing each other now, eyes burning as they resisted the urge to maul each other out of rage. Endyna crouched down and hissed dangerously and Mosyk looked ready to jump at her, baring his teeth.

It was when thunder rumbled in the sky above him that the two tore their angry gazes away from each other.

"Perfect," Endyna groaned, "just _perfect._"

Neither of them spoke as they searched for shelter from the rain that had started to drizzle down from the sky. When Endyna spotted a hollow beneath the roots of a large tree, Mosyk followed her inside silently, and they made sure that, even in that small space, they were as far away from each other as possible.

"No matter how much you insist on it," Endyna muttered quietly at last, "this wasn't my fault." She didn't know why she said it -- she didn't _want _another argument, but her need to defend herself was strong.

Mosyk for silent for a long moment before replying. He sighed in defeat.

"I know," he murmured, "well, it's not _all _your fault, I kinda pushed us off of a waterfall and everything…"

Endyna looked up at him, "how _did _you do that, anyway?"

"Do what?"

"Run as fast as you did?" Endyna clarified, "like a _pa'li _at full gallop -- _that _fast."

Mosyk shook his head, "don't tease me, Endyna."

"I'm _not_ teasing you," Endyna told him, "for Eywa's sake, can you take a compliment when you're given one once in awhile?"

"I _stink _at running!" Mosyk said, sound defensive, "I-I mean, I _felt _like I was going really fast, and it seemed like it, but the more I think about it the more I think I'm just being stupid."

"Well maybe I'm being stupid too," Endyna said, "because if you weren't going fast you wouldn't have been able to drag me over a waterfall. And you would've been able to stop when I warned you."

Mosyk couldn't hide a small smile -- he really _had _done it!

"So, wait…" Mosyk began, "does this mean I'm _better _at something than you?"

"Don't push it," Endyna frowned, and Mosyk shrank in front of her glare, "but when we get home, if we're allowed to go out ever again after this whole mess, we'll see if you can do it again."

When the sky grew darker the forest seemed to come to life with color. As much as both Endyna and Mosyk wanted to go out and explore, it was still raining, and they had always been warned that the forest was much more dangerous at night than in the daylight.

Endyna and Mosyk had never expected to talk to each other as long as they did, about so many things. Even as it grew later, and he knew most of their clan mates had gone to bed, Mosyk stayed up as long as possible -- of course, maybe he just didn't want go to sleep out in the forest.

"Do you think they're looking for us?" Mosyk asked, his voice sounding hopeless.

"Maybe," Endyna mused, "for all we know Ou'tan and Udrau told them we were dead when they got back."

"Sounds like something they'd do," Mosyk sighed, "but I don't think my parents would give up that easily."

"I'm not sure if mine would bother."

Mosyk's head snapped around, his gaze resting on Endyna. "Why would you say that?"

"It's just…I know they love me, I know that, but…" Endyna trailed off, pausing for a moment, "my mother, Ninat, is the best singer in the clan, my father is one of the best hunters, my entire family is full of _bests_, my grandmother was one of the best weavers before she died…everybody is the best at something. I'm not the _best _at anything, and my mother says I'll find it soon, but I've been trying to find it but there's nothing I like enough to want to be the best at."

Mosyk looked at her in surprise. The irritable, skillful Endyna he'd come to know and occasionally get along with never seemed to have _any _problems, but now that he looked at her more closely he realized that she had been showing it all along, and he hadn't been paying enough attention to notice.

"And I always seem to complain about it and, I don't know, maybe they're tired of me by now and wouldn't be too heartbroken if I didn't come back."

"Stop that," Mosyk suddenly spoke up, "you're good at a lot of things, and I'm not. Even though I stink at a bunch of stuff, my parents never stop caring, and yours won't stop caring so stop saying stuff like that!"

Endyna seemed to think over his words for a long time, and Mosyk readied himself for a sharp comeback as she opened her mouth.

"Can we make a deal?" She asked.

"Uh…sure?" Mosyk's answer came out sounding like a question.

"I'll try harder to help you getter better at things you want to do…if you could maybe help _me _figure out what _I _want to do. I'm not the best hunter, I can't sing, I don't like weaving, I make horrible jewelry…help me and I'll help you."

Mosyk nodded. It sounded like a good idea -- plus, once in awhile _she'd _have to listen to what _he _said! And, deep down, he really did want to help. Just a little.

"Okay."

Rain continued to fall, thunder continued to roar, but neither Endyna nor Mosyk noticed, finally letting sleep wash over them like a soft black wave.

* * *

**OMG Endyna and Mosyk...I think they're becoming...*dundundun* _friends._**

**Yes, Endyna has issues of her own. ****She's not completely horrible at anything (that's Mosyk's job right there), she can be good if she tries, but that's the problem, kay? Nothing really captures her interest enough to make her stick with it instead of getting bored and moving on.  
**

**And yes -- I did give Mosyk a special talent. He's not the fastest Na'vi there's ever been, but he's pretty damn close. Oh come on, I dreaded giving it to him seeing as I'm afraid of him being Sueish, but he'd be pretty friggin' boring if he didn't have _something _going for him.**


	8. Our Side of the Story

**ATTENTION: It's Friday. You know what that means??**

**YES. _Funny hat day!_ *dons a cat-eared beanie***

**Oh, and here's a story.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Endyna awoke long before she could bring herself to open her eyes. She felt warm; she knew that shouldn't be the case, she was still under a tree hiding from the rain, but she was laying against something warm. She was so drowsy she didn't bother questioning what it was, but it came to her slowly -- she could hear her makeshift pillow breathe, she could hear a heartbeat, she could hear…

"_Mosyk!_" It was a mysterious shout in the distance that had awakened her in the first place, she realized. "_Endyna!_"

She heard her name again, said by two different voices, before she realized what it meant.

First: her clan was looking for her and Mosyk.

Second: she knew exactly what she had been laying on all night. She lifted her head off of Mosyk's chest in a hurry, trying to shake said Na'vi awake, which was apparently easier said than done.

"Mosyk!" Endyna finally grew frustrated enough to give him a small smack in the face (not soft enough to be ignored, but much tamer than normal because she wasn't exactly trying to hurt him), which caused him fight back, reflexively kicking at his attacker. Luckily, Endyna got out of the way in time -- she learned the day before that, if nothing else, Mosyk had some pretty strong legs, and a kick from them would definitely hurt.

"Go 'way…" Mosyk murmured, pillowing his head in his arms, "m'tired…"

"Get up and listen!" Endyna pulled him upright next to her and was silent. Mosyk looked annoyed, but his ears perked up when he heard the voices.

"I _knew _they'd come search--ah!" Mosyk hissed in pain when he tried to move his arm, the one that had been injured the day before. Yesterday his cut just stung horribly, but now his entire upper arm throbbed whenever he moved it. He realized the area that the bandage didn't cover looked nearly red, and both he and Endyna cringed at the sight.

"Let's get out of here," Endyna said, trying to help him out without aggravating his injury, "that looks infected."

Mosyk said nothing, but he was obviously in pain.

Somehow, though, it didn't seem to hurt as much when his mother dragged him into her arms as soon as she saw him, and a grunt of surprise next to him told him that Endyna's mother, Ninat, had embraced her daughter just as tightly.

Neytiri didn't let go of her son for a long while, and her expression was one of relief. When she finally pulled back to look at him, their eyes met, and only then did Mosyk realize how worried she had been.

"Thank Eywa you both are safe," Mosyk heard Ninat murmur to her daughter quietly, and Neytiri nodded in silent agreement.

"Sa'nu, we were just hunting and we--" Mosyk hastily tried to explain himself, but Neytiri put a slender finger to his lips to silence him.

"There will be time for explaining when we get home," she said, "come. We'll have Ha'ni have a look at you two first, especially that arm."

Mosyk clung to his mother for a second longer before they began to walk. He'd stopped listening after the word "home."

* * *

If anyone other than Neytiri had Mosyk's small hand wrapped around their wrist, they would have cried for mercy within minutes. Mosyk had never been particularly strong, but now that Ha'ni, the Omaticaya clan's healer, was slowly peeling off the bandage covering Mosyk's arm wound (which she had declared infected before she had even seen the whole of it), he was squeezing his mother's wrist as he bit back a cry of pain -- the shock of having it exposed to open air felt like torture.

Neytiri, along with Ninat, had led their children to Ha'ni's hollow, wading through the barrage of questions that followed their return, mostly from curious children. Mosyk didn't bother hiding his surprise when he saw Y'enit in the medicine woman's company as well, laying in one of the hammocks set up around the large hollow that were for patients.

"I wish I could have looked at this sooner," Ha'ni shook her head in dismay before looking up again, "well, what's done is done. At least you bothered to try and dress it -- I can only imagine how it would look if you hadn't."

"If you hadn't she might have had to cut it off," Y'enit said, staring upwards instead of looking at the most recent patients (Endyna had been checked over too, revealing that she had no serious injuries but had caught a chill from the rain). "Wouldn't that be a pain?"

Mosyk's face paled, and he tried to jerk his arm away from Ha'ni. "You wouldn't do that, would you?!"

"Luckily I don't have to," Ha'ni said, tossing Y'enit an irritated glare out of the corner of her eye, "I've had to do it before and I don't like it. Now," Ha'ni looked at the inflamed monstrosity that was Mosyk's upper arm as she spoke, "it will take a little time, but I know a good mixture to dress the wound with. Let me look in my stores, and Y'enit, stop worrying him so much."

"I'm not _worried_," Mosyk lied pathetically, "a true warrior suffers his pain in silence."

"And those are the kinds of warriors who leave their wounds festering for so long that they have to have their limbs cut off," Y'enit told him honestly, "a _good _warrior is one that is able to admit that there are things he cannot do -- who accepts his flaws and works to fix them himself, and can admit when he is in need of help."

Mosyk stared at Y'enit, taking her words into account before looking at Neytiri as if silently asking if she agreed with what the old woman had said. She smiled.

"Y'enit is a smart woman," Neytiri told Mosyk, but it was intended to be heard by Y'enit herself anyway, "she was born long before most of the clan and knows many secrets."

"And now you know why we call grumpy old Akxmi 'half-tail' behind his back." Y'enit continued, and when Neytiri gave her a hard stare, she quickly amended, "but don't do that. It's impolite."

Suddenly, Y'enit broke off into a long fit of deep, painful sounding coughs. Mosyk squeezed Neytiri's wrist harder, but as soon as he did so Y'enit breaths were calm again, and she lay back in her hammock as though nothing had happened. Mosyk was about to ask what exactly was wrong with her when he heard Ha'ni approach again.

Mosyk didn't like the acrid smell of the cloth Ha'ni held in her hands. It was obviously soaked in something, and he was afraid to question what. She grabbed a roll of dry bandages on her way over to where he and Neytiri sat, and she gave Mosyk's mother a gentle stare.

"Neytiri, I need you to hold him as best you can. This is going to sting a bit."

Mosyked tensed. If it was just going to sting a bit Ha'ni wouldn't have warned his mother. He felt like escaping, but Ha'ni was too fast and wrapped the damp cloth around his arm. Whatever it was soaked in seeped into his wound and made it feel as though it was on fire. He let out a furious hiss of pain, and he couldn't make out the soothing words his mother was whispering into his ear until the pain began to fade into a dull tingling feeling. As Ha'ni pressed the cloth down to wrap a dry bandage around it, he groaned slightly until she was done.

"Have him keep that on for a few days -- come to me tomorrow morning and I'll change the bandages. He'll heal up just fine."

Neytiri nodded her thanks and led Mosyk out of the hollow and towards were Ninat and Endyna sat. When both she and Mosyk took a seat, Neytiri spoke.

"Now that that's taken care of," she said, "I promised you both you would have time to explain. Let us hear your story."

* * *

"…so then, we realized that there really _weren't _any _yerik _in the clearing--"

"--and we yelled at each other until it woke up some _nantang -- _at least five! So we ran--"

"--through the forest, as fast as we could go, and then I thought Mosyk would get eaten, but then _he _ran in to _me _because he was running _really _fast!--"

"--and I couldn't stop, no matter how hard I tried, but we got away anyway, but then I was running so fast I--"

"--didn't see the waterfall, so we accidentally jumped off of it. By accident. And then we landed in the water--"

"--it was _cold _and I felt like I was drowning but then I pulled me and Endyna up onto a rock and we coughed and stuff for awhile and--"

"--he asked me if I was all right, and I said yes, but then I saw he was _bleeding _really bad. I took off my ribbon and wrapped it around the cut and then we realized we were lost so--"

"--we looked through the forest _forever, _and we kept on yelling at each other because _she_ said it was _my_ fault we were lost and _I_ said it was _hers_ and--"

"--and we kept on fighting until it started to rain so we found somewhere to hide until morning."

Neytiri had requested Jake's presence at Endyna and Mosyk's storytelling session, and Ninat had called to Endyna's father, Txep. All four adult Na'vi seemed to be absorbing their story and thinking it over, and both children's hearts beat quickly, impatient to know whether or not they believed it.

"It's a lot more believable than what Ou'tan and Udrau said to me last night," Jake nodded, "they said that you took on the _nantang _on purpose to prove that you were brave," Jake looked at Mosyk as he spoke, and then turned to Endyna, "and that _you _didn't stop him."

Mosyk and Endyna looked enraged, but Neytiri calmed them both.

"We four spoke last night and knew it was lie -- you two were new at hunting, you wouldn't have taken such a risk as that. But Ou'tan's father is very respected, and even though _we _knew, we could not point out the lie without _proof_ that it wasn't true."

Mosyk turned to Jake, "couldn't you have just said it wasn't true, though? You're the leader, they have to listen!"

"The clan does listen to what I say," Jake told his son, "but that doesn't mean my word is law -- every member of the clan believes what they want to believe, and I can't change their minds just by telling them to. But the fact that you two are alive ought to add a little weight to our argument."

"Are you going to punish them?" Endyna asked timidly, "Ou'tan and Udrau?"

"They tricked you and then left you out in the forest to die," Neytiri told them firmly, "they will not escape without some sort of punishment."

"Can we help pick what it is?" Mosyk asked hopefully, an almost demonic gleam in his eye.

"I'm sure you two would come up with some very…_creative_ ideas," Jake smirked at them both before regaining all seriousness, "but we'll take care of it. Go rest -- I'm sure you missed sleeping in your own beds."

The mere mention of resting reminded both Endyna and Mosyk of how exhausted they were, and now they weren't sure if they could even drag themselves up to their homes. Somehow, though, they managed, and Mosyk collapsed in his hammock, his body going limp as he settled himself in the center. He had just awakened a few hours ago, so he didn't fall asleep, but it was enough to relax and try to clear his mind of everything, and try not to dwell on his terrifying ordeal the day before.

At the same time, though, he couldn't help but admit that it was the most exciting adventure he'd had in his whole life.

* * *

**I firmly believe that if Neytiri's kid got eaten by a thanator she'd get up close, prop its mouth open with a spear, and drag her baby out of the deep depths of the beast's...yeah. Warrior mom! So yeah, she'd be worried out of her mind if she couldn't find her kid. My opinion.**

**Aaaaand as much as I want to believe the Na'vi are a wonderful harmonious society with no troubles at all until those dirty humans dared to tread on the pure soil *shakes fist* I hold to the belief that it is impossible for _everyone _to agree with _everything _their leader says (re: my mother's opinion of President Obama is a bad one :|). It just seems right for there to be..._tension. _  
**

**As far for Ou'tan and Udrau's punishment...I haven't exactly thought of anything suitable enough for their offense, and yet at the same time not too torturous, because the Na'vi aren't _evil _or anything...Mosyk, on the other hand, has plenty of ideas. A few of them involve fire. Lots and lots of fire.  
**


	9. Speedy Blue Blur

**I feel so bad.**

**I woke up to all these awesome faves, alerts, and reviews, but all I have to offer is this chapter, and it's rather boring IMO.**

**Seriously, though, you guys are awesome. Also, Induce Lucidity, I really hope you don't mind if I do indeed snatch that idea from your review for Ou'tan and Udrau's punishment :3 In order to move the plot along, they have to go to Hell's Gate anyway at some point (that's when the adventure shall start, kids), but it won't be in this chapter.**

**(Even when reviewers give me ideas I don't take them without asking permission -- just in case. XD paranoooooid...)**

**This may have some bad editing and proofreading because while writing this I pulled a muscle in my neck and kind rushed through the rest so I could lie down (I don't leave paragraphs unfinished because I'll forget what I was going to write and be all D:)**

**I'm gonna stop talking.**

**--Phanny  
**

* * *

Endyna and Mosyk had found a quiet (and _nantang _free) clearing in the forest the day after they had returned. They hadn't heard what punishment Ou'tan and Udrau had gotten (Mosyk remembered that Neytiri had said that, though she was sure he would enjoy knowing, it wasn't his concern), so they decided to get right back into training first thing that morning.

Well, Endyna had decided. Mosyk had just been dragged out of bed like a child's rag doll when she woke him earlier that day.

"Okay, want to try running again?" Endyna asked, and Mosyk nodded. He was excited to see if he could run at that amazing speed again -- he wanted to know if it was just luck, or if he finally found something he was good at. He prayed that it would be the second one.

Endyna took out her _tsko swizaw _and aimed it at nothing in particular in one direction. When she heard the faint sound of it hitting something, she nodded to Mosyk. "That sounded far. See how fast you can find it and bring it back. I'll try to time you."

Mosyk nodded, his eyes determined. He crouched down on the ground, getting ready to run.

'_Okay, do how you did last time, start slow, then go fast,' _he thought to himself, then shook his head, _'no! Start fast! Focus, focus and start fast -- not slow.'_

"Go!" Endyna's shout made all of Mosyk's thoughts float of his head.

Or maybe he just left back at the starting line when he really _did _start out at a high speed -- he didn't work his way up like the last time, he didn't have to. He weaved through the trees nimbly, which made it harder to look for Endyna's stray arrow. Luckily, listening to his description of how well he could see when he was running (re: not very well at all), she tied a bright red piece of fabric to the end to make it stand out from the lush greens and browns of the trees. He saw it out of the corner of his eye, pulled it out of the tree as it went by, and held on to a stray branch to try and turn himself around (once again, he could feel that stopping was out of the question at full speed) to where Endyna stood in the clearing. The foliage was a blurred mix of cool colors as he raced through them, and he got an idea of how to stop -- even he knew it wasn't a _good _one, but it was better than running in circles for the rest of his life. Nearing where Endyna stood, he pushed off of the ground and jumped. His legs, now just flailing in thin air, had to stop moving now that they had no traction -- this was the good half of the idea.

The bad one was more obvious when he came down from the sky just as quickly, landing on his face in the moist soil, which was almost mud after more rain had hit the forest the night before.

"Got it," Mosyk said, his voice muffled as he had yet to raise his head off of the ground, "here you go." He held out Endyna's arrow for her. She didn't take it, instead grabbing Mosyk by the shoulders and lifted him off of the ground.

"I didn't even count all the way to a minute!" Endyna's said in surprise, "only thirty seconds!"

A strong wave of modesty hit Mosyk -- he wasn't used to having people praise him, especially not Endyna. "It wasn't that far away…"

"You're doing it _again,_" Endyna said in frustration, "when I compliment you, you take it and say thank you. Anyway," Endyna switched gears quickly, her tone pleasant again, "let's show your mother and father now that we know you can do it even when you're not in danger. Maybe Jakesully," Endyna said 'Jakesully' oddly, never having referred to her leader by name even though Mosyk told her it was fine, "can teach you how to stop without hurting yourself."

"That would be nice," Mosyk groaned, trying to stand. Now that he wasn't running on pure adrenaline and fear like the first time, he realized how badly his legs ached with the strain, "later, though. I think my legs are gonna fall off…"

Endyna helped him limp home, and she led him to Ha'ni's hollow to get some scrapes cleaned up (and his bandage from the day before needed changing anyway).

"Getting some exercise, eh?" Y'enit wheezed from her hammock in the corner. When Mosyk spoke to her last night, he asked her why she was staying in the medicine hollow all the time -- she said she had only caught a chill from the rain and that Ha'ni was paranoid because of her age, but Mosyk couldn't help but notice that it seemed to be a little more than that.

Then he'd asked exactly _how _old she was, and the old woman dealt him a well aimed smack in the face. Apparently, he realized, asking a woman's age was equivalent to provoking a _palulukan _with a spear.

"Yes," Mosyk said, obviously exhausted, "exercise…I still don't like it."

"What about that super-speed story I've heard so much about?"

"It's not a story," Mosyk groaned, laying down as he waited for Ha'ni, "just checked. I'm great at running, I'm _really _fast."

Y'enit looked him up and down, seeing his scraped up blue skin even from where she was sitting, "and what about stopping?"

"And…there's where we hit a little gray area, seeing as I _can _stop…eventually."

"By throwing yourself over the Great Falls?" Y'enit asked.

"Is that what you call them?" Mosyk muttered, then he raised his voice for her to hear, "hey, it worked didn't it?"

"I'm just teasing you," Y'enit let out a gravelly chuckle, "I'm proud of you, child, you know that. I knew you had _something _going for you."

"You did?" Mosyk asked. Y'enit nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Sometimes things like these are more satisfying if they're unexpected."

Mosyk averted his eyes, glowering deeply at the ground.

"Ah, there's the 'I know old Y'enit is right but I won't admit it to her face' face. I love that one, it's my favorite." Y'enit let out something like a mixture of a deep cough and a laugh, but Mosyk still had to fight to keep a smile off of his face.

* * *

"Are you watching? Are you both watching?" Mosyk asked frantically, looking at his parents as he readied himself for another run. It was time to show them what he could do, and he was a little nervous.

"For the last time, _yes_," Jake almost laughed at his son's eagerness, Neytiri nodded as well, "you both led us out here to watch you, and so we're going to watch you."

"You sure? Are you really su--"

"Just go already!" Endyna shouted impatiently. She had shot another arrow for him to retrieve already, and was waiting for him to move, "you can't keep our clan leader and Tsahik out of camp all day!"

Neytiri chuckled a bit, "the Omaticaya are not all children Endyna, they can do without us for awhile and not get into trouble."

Endyna shut her mouth, realizing she had disrespected them. She jumped when she felt Neytiri put a slender hand on her shoulder, and the Tsahik gave the young girl a reassuring gaze -- one that said that she had not actually offended them at all.

"I'm gonna go now," Mosyk interrupted, "make sure you watch."

Mosyk tried to remember which direction the arrow had gone in, having been so worried about his parents that he sort of forgot. He gave Endyna a look, and she wordlessly pointed to his left. He smiled sheepishly before taking off.

He still couldn't ignore the rush that went through him when he ran, the wind in his face, the world just a colorful blur as his feet navigated over the rough terrain. He saw the arrow, grabbed it, and once again struggled to turn himself around.

He approached the clearing, and before he could jumped he ran directly into his father's arms, making even him -- a ten foot tall Na'vi -- stumbled a little, though he didn't fall. Endyna had obviously warned him that Mosyk would need help stopping.

"Got your arrow," Mosyk said, going limp with exhaustion.

"Well that was certainly impressive," Jake smiled widely, supporting his son, knowing that if he let go the exhausted Na'vi would tumble to the ground, "Neytiri, have you ever seen something like that before?"

"Not me," Neytiri said, "but there were a few Na'vi in the past who were known to be good, fast runners. A very long time ago, a sickness was killing many _pa'li_, and so a few members of the clan were able to adapt -- to run as fast without a _pa'li _as they would with one. I didn't think they existed anymore."

"Obviously one of them was somehow related to you," Jake assumed, looking at his mate, "and passed it on somehow."

"Neat," Mosyk said, still sounding tired, "I'm special…so special I can go lie down, right?"

Neytiri smiled, "I think we can give you that much."

* * *

**I don't like how it ended, but I got stuck and was hurt so I decided I'll just work extra hard on the next one.**

**Neytiri and Jake's praise sounded a little forced in my head -- they really are thrilled, but I didn't know how to express that without making them sound all gushy and OOC.**

**Mosyk! You get to be special! Don't screw it up. You're not the hottest thing at Hometree, don't push it.**

**Mosyk: But I can have fangirls, right?  
**

**...**

**Mosyk: ...one?**

**Uh...**

**Mosyk: Oh come on!**

**...I'm talking to a fictional thirteen-year-old alien.**

**You can leave now if you want.  
**


	10. Dinner and a Movie?

**This took a loooong time. I started writing it on Monday, but I got stuck. I took another look at it yesterday, wrote a little more, and then got stuck again. Then I dwelled on the fact that it was STILL not done, and that I was slacking so I forced the rest out and so it might not be perfect. Sorry for the delay -- but hey, I warned you ;)**

**I have a five-day weekend (well, now a four-day if you don't count today) so maybe I'll end up getting some stuff done.**

**Maybe.**

**--Phanny  
**

* * *

Mosyk, for once in his life, was feeling good about himself. Mosyk was rarely ever confident in or pleased with anything he did, but now that he had found at talent, he felt he had the right to be pleased. He wasn't the worst at everything anymore -- in his current state of euphoria, he felt like there was nothing that he couldn't accomplish. He even felt ready to attempt to face one of his many fears.

Today was the day, Mosyk told himself, to ask Tanhi to go hunting with him. Alone. He could manage that, right?

Mosyk's brain thought so, but his body protested violently to the very _idea _of getting close to the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life. His throat felt dry, his knees were weak and shaky, but as he saw her sit a small ways away her family around the fire at dinner time, he realized that he might not get a better shot. She could get closer to her family any time she wanted, and asking her to speak to him alone and pulling her away from her dinner would be very rude.

'_Come on,' _Mosyk told his currently uncooperative body, _'get up and go over!' _He sat near his mother and father and, having saved his food so far, had been trying to get himself to move closer to Tanhi for what seemed like forever.

"Mosyk," Jake looked his son square in the eye as he spoke, "if you aren't ready to do it, don't push yourself. Tahni is young and healthy, meaning she'll still be here tomorrow. If you go over there right now as nervous as you are, you'll probably make a fool out of yourself in front of her." Jake winced when Neytiri smacked him on the arm.

"Don't tell him that!" Neytiri said, scolding her own mate.

"What? I managed to make myself look like an idiot in front of you plenty of times without noticing myself when we first met. I just don't want my son getting hit over the head with a bow, it's very emasculating."

Mosyk looked at his father, confused.

Jake sighed, "makes you feel un-manly."

Mosyk nodded, resisting the urge to start biting his fingernails. He used to do that often until his mother managed to make him stop.

"I'm going over," Mosyk said, with more conviction than he actually felt, "see you at home."

Neytiri and Jake watched their son take his food and wander over towards Tanhi, half proud and half worried.

"First impressions are very important, you know," Neytiri said, going back to her food.

"And yet you mated with me anyway," Jake smirked at her, and she gave him a playful nudge in response.

* * *

"So…I--uh, well…I was w-wondering if…" Mosyk sighed as he looked into Tanhi's golden eyes, which were alight with some mixture of curiosity and amusement, "can I start over?"

Mosyk had been sitting with Tanhi for only a short time, but it felt like hours had gone by as he tried to explain why he was there in the first place. Now that they had both finished eating there was nothing to distract him from facing her anymore.

"Go on," Tanhi told him, and Mosyk took a deep breath in before continuing.

"Anyway, I was…I was wondering if maybe -- if you're, I mean, not busy or anything -- if maybe we could go hunting together…sometime? Maybe? I mean, it's okay if you can't, you probably can't, you probably have a lot of other plans and I don't even know why I came over here am I bothering you I can leave if--" Tanhi shushed him before he could get anymore words out, and his eyes were wide.

"I would like that," Tanhi said.

"Oh, well, I understand if -- _what_?" Mosyk had been so prepared for her to refuse that her acceptance of his invitation came as a shock to him. "I-I mean that's _great_, but…so, uhm, when?"

"Tomorrow?" Tanhi suggested, "midday, maybe?"

All Mosyk could do was nod in assent. It didn't matter when, all that mattered was that she said _yes._

"I'll see you then, Mosyk," Mosyk barely noticed as Tanhi left him to go home. He wanted to say something, he really wanted to -- he didn't even say _goodbye_! She must think he was rude because of that!

None of that seemed to register in his mind, though.

He had _plans _tomorrow.

* * *

For some reason, Endyna didn't seem to find Mosyk's plans quite as exciting as he did. In fact, she seemed rather annoyed by them -- apparently she and Tanhi had never been on good terms for reasons that Mosyk couldn't fathom.

"What do you see in that girl?" Endyna asked as she and Mosyk trained early that morning, "she's not your type."

"I have a type?" Mosyk asked, "what's my type?"

"Well, not girls with beetles for brains," Endyna said acidly, "or self-centered ones, or ones that want everything done for them." Endyna loaded her bow and shot at the target, the sound of the arrow hitting the tree trunk almost acting as the final word of her argument.

"Tanhi's not like that," Mosyk said defensively.

"How often do you speak to her?" Endyna asked, aiming another arrow.

"Well…" Mosyk shrugged innocently, "I only _really _held a conversation with her last night, but we didn't say much…"

"So you know next to nothing about her except that she's pretty," Endyna shot her arrow and turned to look at him, "don't you think that's a little pathetic?"

"I'm not pathetic!" Mosyk shouted, "what's your problem? You're my friend, I thought you'd be happy for me!"

"I'm trying to be, but I don't think you're thinking straight!" Endyna retorted, "just get to know someone before you make up your mind about them!"

"Just like _you _did when you first met _me_?" Mosyk shot back, "you hated me and treated me like an idiot!"

Endyna had no answer, and Mosyk ran out of patience. Taking his bow and arrow, he decided to finish training early.

"I didn't lessons from a hypocrite like you." He said, beginning to trudge through the trees back towards home. He stopped for a moment when he heard Endyna's voice.

"I really am happy for you, Mosyk," Endyna murmured without looking at him, "I just don't want you to be disappointed."

Mosyk didn't look back at her as he left.

* * *

Mosyk, though he was obviously not in a good mood after his little spat with Endyna, put on a horribly fake smile when he left to hunt with Tanhi that had turned only slightly genuine as the trip went on. He should've figured -- Endyna was a girl, of _course _she didn't get it. Still, she didn't have to get so angry…

"Mosyk?" Mosyk jumped when Tanhi said his name, realizing that she had obviously spoken to him and was waiting for a reply.

"Huh?"

"I was asking which way you want to go from here," she repeated, "left or right?"

"Oh…let's go right, I guess," Mosyk said, thoroughly embarrassed.

Tanhi gave a slight nod of assent and they traveled on.

As they walked, they began to converse, and Mosyk realized that Tanhi's favorite topic of conversation was Tanhi. What she liked to do, how she felt, who her friends were…all of the things that she obviously thought Mosyk would like to hear about, and things that Mosyk himself was trying force himself to be interested in. Finally there was a reasonable excuse to shush her -- a couple of _talioang _were hiding in the brush. Both young hunters split up, planning to approach the prey from all sides.

'_Don't screw up, Tenderfoot, or I'll have your head!' _Endyna's voice rang in Mosyk's head as he aimed his bow and arrow, causing him to grunt in surprise. It almost sounded like she was there with him -- why was he thinking about her and her taunts? He shook his head; he didn't have time for those thoughts when he was supposed to be bringing back food for the clan.

'_You're aiming too high, idiot!' _That thought caused Mosyk to let go of his arrow too early, and it zipped up through the canopy at lightning speed (he had, indeed, been aiming too high), causing the _talioang _to grunt nervously and put up their guard.

Tanhi looked over at him from her place in the trees. _What are you doing? _she mouthed. Mosyk just shrugged helplessly -- he had no idea.

'_Don't focus on that stupid girl, you're supposed to be serving the clan right now. Little skxawng, what are you--'_

"Shut _up!_" Mosyk finally shouted, listening with dismay as the two beasts trampled away through the trees. He shut his eyes, gritting his teeth in frustration.

"Mosyk?" Tanhi looked annoyed, but also slightly concerned, "are you feeling well?"

"No, no, I'm fine," Mosyk assured her, "I-I'm sorry I should've been quieter. I'll…wanna try again?"

"I think you might've scared off most of the prey with those _talioang _you sent off with that shouting."

Mosyk realized that Tanhi was honestly angry at him, and that she was also right. He'd never felt like more of an idiot.

"Let's just…go home. I'm sorry." Mosyk sighed, and neither of them spoke on the way back to Hometree.

Mosyk didn't know what was worse: that Endyna had ruined his 'date' without even being present, or the fact that _because _she hadn't been there he couldn't yell at her for it.

Or maybe it was just that, no matter who or what caused it, Mosyk had royally screwed up _again._ Big time.

* * *

**Ha. Mosyk talking to a pretty girl...he sure do have a way with words now don't he? :B**

**It was that last date-thingy that got me so frustrated. Tanhi doesn't have much of a personality, so it's hard to write about her (as you can see, she's completely flat right now, nice 'n pretty, but flat she is) without it being, you know, boring. And stuff.**

**And no, Endyna is not somehow telepathically connected to Mosyk. Mosyk's just a little nutso at the moment because he's thinking about too many things at once and it stresses his li'l brain.**

**...okay, _medium _sized brain.**

**Seriously though, now that I've gotten over that hump I can get something done here.**

**EDIT: _talioang_, FYI, is a sturmbeest. Haha. XD just in case.  
**


	11. Bitter Victories

**Sorry this one took a little while...I really dreaded writing this one...you'll see why.**

**There's some nice Jake and Mosyk bonding! That's good...**

**Just...I can't explain it well enough, read it. :) and think happy thoughts.  
**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Mosyk had never felt more alone.

Admittedly, he brought it on himself -- he was the one refusing to speak to Endyna (though he was sure she wanted nothing to do with him anyway), it was him who wasn't talking to his parents or family, and he was the one who forced himself not to intrude on Y'enit.

Thinking about the old woman made Mosyk's stomach churn. Y'enit was still in Ha'ni's hollow, looking sicker and sicker each day. She tried to hide it from, he knew that, but her body was weakening every time he saw her, and it made his heart break to look on as she deteriorated. So he decided that he just shouldn't look at all.

The only thing worse than his loneliness was when he thought about Tanhi. He'd noticed something, a flaw in his desire to be with her, that he couldn't ignore, and _that _wasn't getting better either.

Mosyk had convinced himself that Tanhi was the one for him, his future mate, and he asked his father how he would actually tell. Jake had a hard time explaining it, but he told his son that it was just something he would be able to _feel_, something he didn't feel when he was with anyone else -- a good feeling, too. The only problem with that was that when Mosyk was with Tanhi, he felt…

…_Nothing._

There was nothing special happening, there was no spark, he felt normal when he was with her -- maybe even a little _bored._

This wasn't part of the plan! This was unacceptable! He sat on his hammock, leaning back and forth to make it swing slightly, thinking about these things until Jake noticed his sad, distressed face and sat down as well.

"Stop telling me that nothing's wrong," Jake said as soon as Mosyk opened his mouth after he sat down, "something's bothering you. Out with it."

"_Sempu…_" Mosyk moaned, but Jake stared him down. Looking into his eyes, Mosyk saw worry. He was making his parents worried with all of _his _worrying. "Ugh…fine. Well, Tanhi is nice. She is very…she's very nice and pretty and…I _should _like her more because of this because, I mean, she's nice and pretty what more could I ask for? But lately, well…you know how you said I would _feel _if she was the one? Well, I'm not feeling _anything _when I'm with her, and that's not right because that's not part of the plan!"

"You have a _plan_?" Jake asked curiously, "Mosyk, you can't _plan _for these things. That's not how it works. If you don't feel it, then maybe Tanhi just isn't the right girl."

"Then who is?! I was totally focused on Tanhi because I thought she was the one she has to be the one I can't handle it if she isn't I haven't even tried talking to any other girls because I was so sure she would be it now if I don't choose you have to choose for me and what if there _isn't _a 'one' and the girl you choose _hates _me and we live in horrible, _horrible _unhappiness and that makes it bad for the clan 'cause no one wants to be so unhappy--"

"Mosyk, Mosyk slow down!" Jake grabbed his son by the shoulders and gave him a small shake to get him to calm down and focus. "And try to breathe once in awhile. How long have you been thinking about this?"

"Awhile…" Mosyk said, sounding ashamed, "sorry I kept it a secret…it's just you and mother are so busy and important…"

"We're also your parents," Jake said, "and if you want help we'll give it to you, if you _ask _for it. You don't have to chose a girl right away. If you haven't by the time your sixteen, though, your mother and I will have to choose for you. We changed that tradition a little bit, but it still holds that if you don't have a mate we'll have to find you one."

"Mother didn't mate with _her _betrothed…" Mosyk mumbled, and his father flicked his ear.

"You sure do like bringing that up all the time, don't you?" Mosyk bit his lip to hide the toothy grin forming, the same as his father's. "No she didn't. that's why we managed to change the tradition a little bit by giving you until you're sixteen."

"Why didn't you just get rid of it?"

"A tradition is a tradition," Jake told him, "I just _barely_ got away with changing it, and that was with Neytiri on my side."

Mosyk murmured something that Jake didn't catch, and then spoke up.

"So what if there isn't a girl out there who wants me?" Mosyk asked, "what if I get stuck with some…some _nantang _in a Na'vi disguise?"

"I think you'd be able to tell by the smell," Jake shrugged.

"_Sempu_…"

"Right, not the point," Jake laughed, "anyway, there's someone out there for everyone, you just have to be on the look out. Maybe she'll find you."

"Maybe…" Mosyk said, not enthusiastic at all.

There were way too many 'maybe's lately.

* * *

Maybe the third time's the charm, Mosyk thought.

It was his third trip out hunting, and he was determined to make this one count -- as in, he would work hard to bring something _back _for food. He was getting tired of those disappointed looks on his clan mates' faces.

"I think there's something this way," Mosyk said to Tanhi. Of course he was with Tanhi -- even if she wasn't 'the one,' he had to be sure, right? And he didn't want to hunt without some sort of company, and going to Endyna was absolutely out of the question.

"Right," Tanhi nodded, "I was talking to Hufwe yesterday and she _did _say that this was a decent spot to hunt, did you know that Tsteu was looking at her last night at dinner…?"

"Uhm, let's just hunt, all right?" Mosyk said, holding back a big _'shut up!' _in his throat. Did she ever stop talking? Maybe that's why he wasn't getting that feeling his father told him about -- she was too distracting!

"All right," Tanhi said, mildly offended that he didn't seem to care about her thoughts.

Suddenly they both heard a slight rustling in the brush in front of them. Two _yerik _were grazing quietly, unaware of the two hunters in such close proximity to them.

'_I'll bring something back this time…' _Mosyk thought, drawing his arrow back and aiming.

Tanhi stepped on a twig by accident, but Mosyk didn't care. As soon as the _yerik _took off running, he did too.

It was hard to aim a bow and arrow and run at high speeds at the same time -- something Mosyk hadn't known until he had picked up too much speed to stop. He was able to keep pace with his prey, but preparing to shoot was incredibly difficult, and he wasn't sure it was possible after many tries.

He drew another arrow, following alongside the two galloping _yerik_, aimed, and shot. This time, he heard his target get hit as one of the yerik fell to the ground, the poison affecting it immediately. Mosyk preformed one of his jump-up-and-land-to-stop's to turn around and run towards his newly felled prey. The other _yerik _had, sadly, managed to escape, but Mosyk was too ecstatic about making a kill that he didn't care. He caught a young, healthy male _yerik _to feed his clan -- he succeeded in something at last!

"Mosyk?" Tanhi's call was distant, and Mosyk hadn't realized how far he'd probably run in his pursuit. "Where are you?"

"Over here!" Mosyk pulled his arrow from the _yerik's_ flesh as he spoke, and he heard Tanhi's light steps come toward him before she broke through the trees. "I caught it!"

"How did you catch it?" Tanhi said in awe.

"I don't know…I mean, I know how to run really fast but I didn't know I'd hit it when I shot! Lucky, huh?"

"Yeah, lucky," Tanhi said, her expression was unreadable and vague, "let's get it back to Hometree."

* * *

Mosyk and Tanhi's catch wasn't the biggest or fattest, but it was a good size; better than what was expected of the two by far. Mosyk desperately wanted to see the look on Endyna's face when she saw it, but he couldn't find her, or his parents for that matter. Where were they?

When Mosyk found Jake and Neytiri a few moments later, they praised his catch and embraced him, but Mosyk couldn't help but see sadness behind their proud smiles. Why were they sad?

"Mosyk," Neytiri crouched down to meet her son's eyes, and Mosyk saw more clearly the grave expression in hers. "We must tell you something. Come."

Mosyk's parents led him into their hollow, and Mosyk now shook with the anticipation of bad news. Was he in trouble?

"Mosyk, you understand that Y'enit was very sick, yes?" Neytiri said levelly.

"She…she's not _that_ sick, she said so! Wait, what do you mean 'was'?" Mosyk trembled. He really wanted to believe that they were telling him that she 'was' sick because she was better, but…

"Y'enit was very old, and yes, she was very sick. She hid it from you well, but she was growing weaker every day, Mosyk."

"_Sa'nu_, what are you telling me? What's going on?" Mosyk's voice shook.

"Mosyk," Neytiri embraced her son tentatively, "Mosyk, Y'enit is with Eywa now."

* * *

***sniffsniff*...*vanish*** **D:**


	12. Nature's Glow

**Okay, I need to get past the last chapter with some happy stuff. So there is some happy stuff in here.**

**Also, all the things in here that are labeled as Na'vi traditions/ceremonies...I just came up with them so it's likely that they're total bullshi--*brick'd* OW! Right...no swearing...rated K+...Got it.  
**

**Anyway, there's some lovely Mosyk bonding with his parents and some nice Endyna fluffiness, too.**

**--Phanny  
**

* * *

It was normal for Na'vi children, until they had their own hammock set up when they were old enough, to sleep in between their parents in a large family hammock. Usually when they reached the age of ten they were too big to share with their parents anyway.

Mosyk, however, had yet to grow too big to sleep with his parents, but had his own bed anyway -- however, this night was special, and not in a good way. Y'enit had become almost like a grandmother to Mosyk, and now that she was gone he didn't feel right sleeping alone, and his parents respected his wishes and allowed him to stay with them just for one night.

"She sounded fine yesterday," Mosyk mumbled, curled up in between Jake and Neytiri, "she really did. Why didn't she tell me she was feeling so bad?"

"She didn't want to upset you," Neytiri murmured in his ear soothingly, "you seemed happy to her, she didn't want to make you sad."

"Well how do you think I feel _now_?" Mosyk sniffled. No matter how hard he tried, he hadn't been able to stop himself from crying since he'd heard of Y'enit's death. It embarrassed him even though his mother and father had both told him there was no shame in it. "Maybe if she told me I would've been…ready."

"You can't be ready for these things," Jake said sadly, rubbing his son's shoulder gently, "as much as you want to be…you just can't be."

Mosyk didn't answer, and he sniffled a bit more before Neytiri wrapped her arms around him, looking at Jake with a feeling of helplessness. As impossible as they knew it was, they had hoped their son wouldn't have to go through this. No one that he had been close to had died since he was two, and he had been to young then to remember the passing of his grandmother Mo'at.

"With Eywa she is healed now," Neytiri told him, "she is no longer in pain, no longer sick."

"I don't get it," Mosyk's voice was muffled as he had his face pressed into his mother's hair, "why can't Eywa just let everyone stay alive forever?"

"Eywa exists to protect the balance of our world, Mosyk, her motives are not ours to question," Neytiri said, "but she relieves those who are hurt and sick from their suffering, and with every life she takes away, there is always a new one waiting for a place in the world. Y'enit led a very long life, and she was a good woman, but she was very sick and it was her time."

"It's not fair," Mosyk's voice broke, "I didn't say goodbye to her. She was my friend."

"She knew that," Jake said, "we were with her. She loved you very much, she said so."

Mosyk nodded, trying to make himself understand. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep, curling up close to his mother. As soon as Neytiri was sure their son was asleep, she let some of her own tears fall as well.

* * *

It didn't matter how well liked or not a someone was, the death of any Na'vi was a sad one. Clan life went on as usual, but there was an air of grief that fell over Hometree every time Eywa took a Na'vi from this world and into her arms until the burial took place. All relatives and close friends of the deceased were allowed time to mourn, but some decided to work anyway, if only to get their minds off of the sadness. Mosyk was not one of those people.

Jake and Neytiri were at a loss for what to do. They'd been trying to get him to do something, to make himself feel better, but no amount of comforting words and gestures seemed to drag him from his grief -- at least not when it came from them. So when Endyna dropped by, asking if she could talk to Mosyk, they let welcomed her, hoping that maybe Mosyk would listen to her.

"Mosyk?" Endyna crouched down in front of the sulking young boy, her eyes full of uncharacteristic concern.

"What do you want?" He asked with none of the fire that he had intended to put into it.

"You to quit moping," Endyna said, "you wanna do something today? I mean, some of the others are going swimming later today, we could go."

"You can go if you want," Mosyk said dully, "I don't really like swimming."

"No? Okay…" Endyna thought for a moment before saying, "well, we could just go for a walk."

"With who?"

"Just you and me."

For some reason Mosyk's stomach churned, and a bizarre tingling went down is spine. He shook his head to clear it, not giving it a second thought.

"You won't leave me alone until I say yes to something, will you?" Mosyk asked. Endyna gave him a cheeky smirk and shook her head. He sighed and stood up.

"Let's go for a walk, then. Fine."

* * *

Mosyk realized on his walk that, compared to Tanhi, Endyna was so much more…_fun._

Tanhi would never race him, Tanhi would never dare him to climb tall trees and laugh when he fell -- a laugh that somehow made him want to laugh, too, whenever he heard it. Even if he was the saddest person on the face of Pandora, he could bet that Tanhi wouldn't go to the lengths that Endyna did to make him smile again.

It was now getting dark, and Endyna and Mosyk were seated on the ground, looking up at the sky. The forest was once again coming to life, beginning to glow with assorted blues, purples, and greens that filled them both with awe. They knew they couldn't stay out too late, but at least they could enjoy the scenery for a little while.

"You know," Endyna said quietly, "my grandmother used to say that when someone dies, they become a star in the sky. That's not what we were taught, not exactly, I know that, but…I think it's interesting."

Mosyk nodded; he'd never thought about that way before, and it _was _kind of cool. After a long stretch of silence, he pointed to one of the many glowing stars.

"That one looks like Y'enit," he murmured, "what do you think?"

"Hmm," Endyna pretended to be deep in thought, "I _can _picture it yelling at me -- _'keep it down! You young ones are all ridiculous!'_"

Mosyk laughed in spite of himself, and Endyna giggled as well. It was good to laugh, and it might be his last one in awhile. Y'enit's burial would take place when the moon rose its highest in the sky, but he tried to ignore that fact and just enjoy the moment.

"Are you still mad?" Mosyk asked suddenly, and Endyna glanced at him curiously.

"I wasn't really mad," Endyna said, "just…_frustrated. _I don't like it when people don't listen to what I have to say. If you're happy with Tanhi, fine."

Mosyk nodded, biting his lip, trying in vain to hold in his next statement.

"I'm _not _happy with her," he admitted, "she's…all she talks about is herself, _her_ friends, what _she_ likes, she doesn't do anything fun with me like…"

"Like what?" Endyna asked.

"Like…like _you_ do," Mosyk admitted grudgingly, "she's _boring_."

"Aw," Endyna hugged him, "how sweet."

This uncharacteristic kindness made Mosyk feel weird again. He liked the feeling of her touching him, his body tingled and he shivered for a second before hugging her back.

And then they realized what they were doing and broke apart quickly.

"Uh…" Endyna's face began to turn violet as she rushed to change the subject, "the plants are pretty tonight."

"Yeah," Mosyk glanced at her for a second before staring out at the forest, "very pretty."

The tingling feeling didn't fade, no matter how hard he tried to shake it off.

"It's almost time for the ceremony," Endyna murmured after a moment, "you wanna go back?"

Mosyk sighed, but he nodded gravely, "yeah, we should go back."

* * *

The clearing was bathed in pale moonlight, illuminating the Tsahik's ceremonial garb as Neytiri began to speak. This clearing was avoided because it officially served as the burial ground for all Na'vi that had passed since the had moved to the new Hometree after the war. It was as closest as they could get to the Tree of Souls within the span of one day, as they couldn't afford to send a few warriors to journey for two or three days carrying a dead body between them.

"As you all know, last night one of our own moved on to join Eywa. Y'enit will be missed dearly. Though she mothered no children, we were all her family for a long eighty-three years, and she served us well as a strong warrior. May Eywa be with her."

The last line was repeated by all of the Na'vi present, their heads bowed in respect.

"Those who were closest to Y'enit will stay and sit with her grave until the sun rises, those who were not may return to Hometree after you have paid your respects." Neytiri said with a note of finality, and the ceremony proceeded from there in silence, the only sounds being the rustling of the forest in the cool wind and the murmuring of quiet prayers over Y'enit's grave.

Mosyk had nothing to say, and Endyna walked with him up to her grave, a glowing violet flower in one hand and the other around Mosyk's wrist comfortingly. They both kneeled down, and Endyna lay her flower down on the mound of gravel over where Y'enit lay buried. Mosyk just stared completely detached, and got up. He journeyed into the forest for one moment and returned with a red flower, kneeling down and repeating Endyna's action.

"Goodbye," His voice broke and he, against his better judgment, lay his head on Endyna's shoulder. He realized with a tiny smile that, even though he had lost a good friend, he still had one more.

* * *

**It's cute and sad at the same time. Like Bambi without the cute little skunk.**

**Also, the dead people being stars thing is actually taken from the Warriors Series by Erin Hunter...it just seemed like a Na'vi-like thing, but I slipped it in here so I need to give credit where credit is due. :D  
**


	13. Mystery

**Fast update. I'm on a roll again but I do have school tomorrow...so enjoy.**

**There's actually some plot development in this one.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Jake had never really gotten to choose how to punish a member of his clan before -- that was all Neytiri. She was the "tough but fair" type, and he never argued with her (especially not when she had something in her hand. Just because they were mated didn't mean he had escaped a few smacks on the head for occasional instances of ignorance). Honestly, he'd always been the subordinate in his life, the one who _received _punishments. Now, however, Neytiri had decided that how he punished Ou'tan and Udrau for their nasty trick three days before was up to him, and he still hadn't decided. He couldn't toss the responsibility back to Neytiri; he needed to show that he could be responsible for the members of his clan on his own, but it was hard to come up with something that was as tough as they deserved without being considered cruel. Of course, it was when his thoughts wandered to Norm and Max back at Hell's Gate that he thought of it.

"Ou'tan and Udrau will go with me to Hell's Gate," he told some of his senior warriors, "and do whatever Norm and the others want them to do. Maybe they'll actually _learn _something."

"This sounds reasonable to me," Txur nodded, and Neytiri agreed. Ou'tan's father, Taw, agreed as well. He and Udrau's mother had apologized profusely after learning of their sons' lies, very ashamed that their children behaved so poorly. Jake understood they're frustration, as hard as they all tried, sometimes a parent just couldn't control their children all the time.

"I apologize again for my son's foolishness," Taw told Jake, "this is a fair punishment, Jakesully."

"Tomorrow at dawn then," Jake said, and then he glanced toward the right of him, where the racks that held the fresh skins of the prey brought back that day stood, and sighed. "Mosyk, Endyna, I believe that there are some chores you should be doing."

Both children groaned, coming out from their hiding place, looking guilty.

"Can _we_ tell them?" Mosyk said, "I wanna see their faces! Please?"

Neytiri sighed in both frustration and amusement, "I'm not sure about that. Now we have to come up with a suitable punishment for _eavesdropping_."

Mosyk and Endyna paled.

"It was _his_ idea!"

"It was not, you liar!"

"Was too!"

"Was _not_!"

"Was _too_!"

"Was n--"

"I think your Tsahik was teasing you, yes?" Endyna's father Txep was also at the small meeting.

"Yes," Neytiri chuckled at both of them.

"Go on, tell them," Jake conceded, "but don't rub it in _too_ deep, and no more spying."

"Okay," both kids said at once, running off to find they too boys, planning on rubbing it in as deeply as they pleased.

* * *

When Mosyk and Endyna had promised not to spy, they had no idea how hard a promise it would be to keep. The next day at dawn, they both followed Jake, Ou'tan, and Udrau out into the forest towards Hell's Gate, keeping as far back as they could without getting lost.

"Have you ever been to this Hell's Gate?" Endyna asked Mosyk in a whisper.

"Once, I think," he replied, "when I was little, to meet some of my father's old friends. I don't remember too much -- they were weird-looking. And _tiny. _The adults were only a little bigger than I am now."

"Huh," Endyna mused, "interesting. Hurry up, we're losing them."

When Hell's Gate was in sight, it really _did _look like Hell. What had once been a mass of concrete and steel had now been taken over by the forest, covered in vines and moss and cracking under many years worth of other green infestations. The look on Ou'tan and Udrau's faces at the ugly, slightly unnerving sight was absolutely priceless.

To all four children's surprises, when Jake ducked low to get through the small doorway, he came out with another Na'vi, and they began talking animatedly, Jake occasionally pointing at the two boys who were awaiting their assignments. Mosyk and Endyna quickly climbed up on a high branch of a nearby tree, hiding behind the leaves as they watched.

* * *

"Jake, I'm glad you're here," Norm said, looking slightly concerned about something. He had permanently transferred to his avatar with the help of the Omaticaya, but had yet to leave Hell's Gate, having been unable to ignore the fact that, though he loved the Na'vi, he was a scientist, not a warrior, and he was instead helping the other avatar drivers who had stayed on Pandora prepare to do the same, hopefully with more confidence in becoming one of the Omaticaya. "Maybe Lauren and Alex can find something for those two to do, but Max and I have something to show you."

This was one part that Mosyk and Endyna heard and when Jake went back into the building, they followed quietly, somehow managing to avoid being seen. The followed Norm and Jake into a room full of…Mosyk could barely remember what they were called -- computers? Yeah, that was it. They stopped when they heard Norm speaking again.

"Sorry about…the mess," the computer room was full of dust and dirt, and only two of the twelve or so computers were turned on, Mosyk noticed, "it's been years, only two of these things even work now."

"Norm, just tell me what it is," Jake said, slightly impatient.

"Well _fine_, pushy," Norm grumbled, brining up a window full of symbols neither Mosyk or Endyna could identify, "this is a monitor of Pandora under the surface. What do you notice?"

"What's that huge mass in the center?" Jake pointed at the screen.

"That's the problem, _I don't know_," Norm told him, "what I _do _know is that yesterday it was _here_," Norm pointed to a lower point on the monitor, "so whatever it is, Jake, it's huge, and it's _moving._"

"How fast?"

"Not very, but the way this is looking, it could be heading for the Hometree."

"I'll ask some of the elders if they remember anything like this. You sure you don't know what it is?"

"It's not in any of the books, I can't find anything about it anywhere. I don't know if it's dangerous or not, but if I've learned anything from Pandora, you have to treat everything as if it's deadly until you're sure it's not."

Jake nodded, "keep me posted. I won't ask anyone right away -- I don't want anyone to panic."

"Then you'd better tell your kid and his friend to keep quiet."

Mosyk and Endyna froze -- how did they keep getting caught so easily? They were _terrible _spies! Oh, they were going to get it…

"Get over here," Jake said, looking at the two with burning eyes, "now."

Both kids walked slowly over to Norm and Jake, looking at the ground guiltily.

"How much of that did you hear?" Norm asked.

"Enough to know that some big monster under the ground is coming to get us!" Mosyk said suddenly. Endyna shoved her elbow in his ribs and he grunted, "maybe."

"Nothing is going to get you," Jake said, trying to keep his voice level, "but I can't guarantee you aren't in danger right now. _What _did I tell you this morning about eavesdropping?"

"To not to," Mosyk murmured. Jake sighed.

"Can you two keep this to yourselves for now? We're not sure this is a threat, we don't need people scared for no reason."

Both of them nodded quickly.

"All right, I'll deal with you when we get home," Jake told them, "Norm, come to Hometree if you find out anything new."

"I will," Norm nodded, "tell Neytiri I said hi."

"Can do," Jake smirked a little before frowning again, "come on, let's go you two."

As they exited the building, they saw two female avatars smirking as Ou'tan and Udrau cleaned out a foul smelling facility nearby.

"Thanks, Jake," one of them said as they passed, "we needed that latrine cleaned out sooner or later."

Jake smirked, "be sure to keep them busy, ladies. Send them back before it gets dark, though. I don't want anything to eat them."

Mosyk frowned. Would that really be such a bad thing? The look on Endyna's face clearly said that she was asking herself the same question.

* * *

Mosyk and Endyna did wind up getting scolded, but their punishment was much tamer than that of Ou'tan and Udrau, thankfully. The both were not allowed to leave Hometree for two days, and had to do most of the boring chores while the others were out hunting or training. If there was anything Mosyk hated, it was cleaning the _talioang _skins and hanging them out to dry -- it was a very delicate process, and one wrong move could ruin the whole thing.

As it got dark Ou'tan and Udrau had returned, looking pretty annoyed and angry when Neytiri told them to go back into the forest to the river and bathe -- cleaning out the latrine had made them reek worse than a dead _nantang _that had been sitting out in the sun all day. Mosyk could hide a snicker, and Neytiri told him to get back to work.

Suddenly Jake called to the whole clan -- he had an announcement (Mosyk hoped it wasn't the one about the monster underground).

"Txur has brought me good news to share with the clan. Tell them, Txur."

Txur rose from where he was seated when Jake called him, smiling warmly.

"The _ikran_ that hatched last season are all old enough to make _Tsahaylu _with a Na'vi. Tomorrow seven of our young warriors in training will journey to the Thundering Rocks to perform Iknimaya. Tonight all mentors and trainers will decide who will make the journey. I wish only success to our young warriors."

There was a joyful murmur among the clan -- the birth of new _ikran _was always a pleasant thing to hear about and know.

Though Mosyk had always been a little afraid of _ikran_, he couldn't suppress the feeling of longing that churned in his stomach. He clung to the hope that maybe he would be one of the ones to go, the excitement causing his blood to rush through his veins with amazing speed.

* * *

**I don't write Norm very well. :|**

**I have NO idea how to write the Iknimaya deal...I'm afraid I won't do it right. I reeeeally need to go see the movie again...**

**I have to think of a name for Mosyk's ikran. If he manages to get one without serious injury.  
**


	14. Iknimaya

**I realize that need to change the rating to this story to "T" now. As I go on, you'll notice why.**

**And NO, I'm not changing it because there'll be "sexytiems." I don't write sex. The rising action and climax are going to be a little intense (if I write them correctly :| who knows).**

**So here is chapter 14...Damn, I can't remember ever writing a story this long.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Mosyk barely blinked as he looked at his father, his eyes hungry for information. Jake sighed for what seemed like the millionth time that day as he mat his son's gaze.

"I can't tell you who was chosen until morning, Mosyk," he said levelly, "you'll find out when everyone else does."

"But I wanna know!" Mosyk whined, "_please_? I won't tell. Fine -- can I guess?"

"Mosyk…"

"You didn't pick Ou'tan and Udrau, did you? Bad idea -- that'd be an _awful _idea if you picked them, they're bad seeds."

"You've gotten into your fair share of trouble these days," Jake pointed out, "I wouldn't point fingers if I were you."

Mosyk's ears drooped sadly, "so you didn't pick me, did you?"

"I never said that."

"So you did pick me!"

"I don't recall ever saying that either."

"Oh come on!" Mosyk moaned, flopping down in his hammock, "not even a hint?"

"Neytiri, calm your son," Jake laughed, and Neytiri narrowed her eyes at him.

"When he's whining he's _my _son?" She asked, but turned to Mosyk anyway, "it's time for bed, Mosyk."

Mosyk pouted for a bit more before settling down into bed, looking over at his parents once more.

"Whether you picked me or not…do you think I would be able to do it?"

"We've said it before," Jake muttered, "you can do whatever you put your mind to."

After hearing that, Mosyk fell asleep with a slight smile on his face that night.

* * *

When the sun began to rise the next day, Mosyk found himself waking on his own. Realizing what day it was, he flipped his hammock over in his eagerness to get to hear the announcement and landed on his stomach on the floor.

"Heh, smooth," Endyna's voice came from the doorway to his hollow, and he narrowed his eyes at her smug look as he got up and brushed himself off.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, walking towards her.

"I came to get you, I was afraid you wouldn't get up on time," Endyna said, suddenly grabbing his wrist and taking him to the center of the Hometree, where several other clan members were already gathered.

"Do you think they picked us?" Mosyk asked when they got there.

"What, you didn't ask your dad?" Endyna replied with her own question.

"Of course I did, but he wouldn't say anything," Mosyk said bitterly, "I bet he didn't pick me. I'm not even big enough to fit on an _ikran _anyway…"

"Oh stop it," Endyna said, flicking him with her tail, "I remember you telling _me_ not to feel sorry for myself awhile ago, so right back at you."

Mosyk rolled his eyes and was about to reply when he heard Txur begin to speak loudly.

"Seven young warriors have been chosen to journey to the Thundering Rocks to bond with the seven new _ikran. _As your name is called, come forward."

Mosyk shuddered with excitement. He could still hope, couldn't he?

"Kyash, Kimil, Ysayi, Endyna, Sreu, Tanhi, and Mosyk," Txur called, "come forward."

Endyna pushed Mosyk, who was frozen with shock, up to where Txur stood. Tanhi smiled at Mosyk and gave Endyna a narrow-eyed glare as she joined them. A pair of rare fraternal twins, Kyash and Kimil, came up as well, trembling with excitement. Ysayi never showed much emotion on his narrow face, but he too looked pleased, and Sreu beamed with delight at being chosen.

"These seven children will become full warriors today as a reward for their hard training--" Txur spared a glance at Mosyk before continuing with, "--and willingness to improve their skills to serve their people, despite the hard work that it involved. They have been proven worthy of accepting this challenge, as it is not for the weak. Iknimaya is a difficult and dangerous trial, but I have no doubt that by the end of this day the Omaticaya clan will be seven warriors stronger."

The cheer that rang out was stronger than ever -- after Y'enit's death, any happy news was received excitedly. Mosyk looked around for his mother and father, seeing their proud smiles when he found them. Suddenly Mosyk turned around, grabbed Endyna and embraced her, realizing that, for the most part, she was the reason he was able to go. He didn't care how incredibly awkward this uncharacteristic show of affection would feel later, and apparently Endyna didn't either as she wrapped her arms around him as well.

"Mosyk!" Tanhi's voice sounded in his ear, and both he and Endyna broke apart instantly, Endyna looked annoyed. "Isn't this wonderful? We get to go!"

"Yeah, it's great!" Mosyk nodded, his eyes watching Endyna sigh, roll her eyes, and turn on her heel to walk away, saying something about getting breakfast. "Listen, I'll see you later, okay? When we leave."

"Oh, all right," Tanhi pouted, and Mosyk took that as an invitation to wander off.

He _really _hoped he hadn't made Endyna mad again just by talking to Tanhi.

* * *

Mosyk hated to admit that, even though he had gone hunting before, he had never made _Tsahaylu _before, not even with a _pa'li. _He was a little afraid, but he knew that at least a few of the others hadn't either. This was why Txur took them out early to practice with a _pa'li _before bonding with an _ikran _for life.

"_Tsahaylu _is quite simple to make with a _pa'li_," Txur began, "it feels very strange at first, making such a deep connection, but you will have to do it often in your lives. Connect your braid to the _pa'li_'s antenna very carefully, now."

Mosyk took a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for the odd sensation he was told to expect, and did as Txur said.

Nothing could have prepared him for it.

His blood rushed quickly through his veins as the connection was made. Suddenly he had two heartbeats, four eyes, for ears, two noses. Every scent, sound, and sight was clearer and stronger, he could feel the _pa'li_'s thoughts and instincts digging into his mind, and he felt completely in synch with the animal.

"Now, if the bond has been made, look at that tree to the left. Give it the command to run there, and it will listen, but do not say it out loud."

'_Don't say it out loud?' _Mosyk thought, _'so, if I just tell this thing 'go to that tree,' it'll--' _Mosyk didn't even finish thinking as his _pa'li _galloped along with the others, and he had to hold on tightly so as not to fall off. As he got closer to where the others were, he tried commanding it again.

'_Stop!_'

He held on tighter as the horse suddenly came to a halt in front of the tree.

Txur arrived last, looking around at his students, "that was fairly interesting, wasn't it? Do you all understand how it works?"

All seven of them nodded, eager to get going.

"Then we'll head towards the Thundering Rocks," Txur turned his _pa'li _away as he spoke, "follow me."

Mosyk felt confident until the group came closer towards the mountains, and he finally saw what they'd be climbing up.

That was a long way to go -- and a long way down if he were to fall.

* * *

'_Don't look down don't look down don't look down…' _Mosyk told himself as he and the others climbed their way to the banshee rookery where the new _ikran _awaited them. Endyna was climbing just above him, her tail flicking his hair whenever she thought he might be looking down. She didn't know how high up they were, but it was definitely high enough to spell instant death for anyone who fell, which was why she was trying to keep Mosyk as calm as possible. Luckily, she could see the top within reasonable distance -- they were almost there!

"Just a little more, keep going!" Endyna said to Mosyk, who nodded, his eyes full of terror.

When they finally reached the top, Mosyk was shaking with relief at being on solid ground, which quickly vanished when he saw all of the intimidating looking _ikran _that glanced at the newcomers.

"I have brought you to the _ikran_," Txur told the young warriors, "the rest is up to you. Who goes first?"

Mosyk wasn't quite paying attention. All of the _ikran _were big -- he couldn't get on one of them if he tried! Why did he have to be so little? This was going to be a disaster!

Suddenly, he heard a small "_nyrrh_" sound from his right, and turned to see another one, much smaller than the others, curled up and glancing at the newcomers as well with guarded curiosity. It looked harmless -- maybe that one would be easier.

It was only when Txur placed something in his hand that he snapped out of his trance. He looked at the bola he had been handed, noticing that everyone else had one as well.

"You will remember playing with these things when you were younger," Txur told them, "but today, these are not toys. The are to subdue your _ikran _in order to capture it. Aim for it's face, and the bola will wrap around the snout, covering the eyes. While it is blinded you will climb on and make _Tsahaylu._"

"Easier said than done," Kyash muttered under her breath, but Txur heard.

"True," he said seriously, "you have only one chance to throw it, make it count. Kimil, come forward and choose your _ikran_, and see if he does the same."

Kimil nervously walked forward, looking at the crowd of _ikran _on one side of the rookery. He watched and waited until one of them turned and met his gaze evenly.

The rest was chaos.

The _ikran _screeched and glided toward Kimil, who ducked just in time. Kyash gasped and bit her lip to keep from crying out to her brother. Kimil shouldn't be distracted by anything.

The beast turned around quickly, screeching and moving towards Kimil again, and Mosyk realized that the _ikran _really _had_ chosen him -- it was trying to kill him.

Kimil braced himself, tossed his bola, and it successfully wrapped around the beast's eyes. He ran towards it and jumped before it could shake it off, and it took off over the edge of the mountain, looping and twirling, trying to knock Kimil off. The _ikran _dove steeply down until the rest of the students could no longer see it or Kimil, and there was a long stretch of silence as they waited.

A screech was heard, and Kimil's _ikran _rose again -- with Kimil mounted on it, looking pleased. As soon as he saw that they were looking and knew that he was okay, he took off again on his first real flight with his new _ikran _with Txur's approval.

"Mosyk," Txur said, "you are next."

Mosyk desperately wanted to object, all of his confidence suddenly drained, but it was obvious Txur had no intent of changing his mind.

Mosyk did the same as Kimil, looking around at all of the _ikran _until he was noticed. None of the larger ones showed any interest in him, but when he glanced at the smaller one from earlier, he met its fiery, defiant gaze head on. It roared and dove at him immediately, giving him only two seconds to roll out of the way with a gasp of surprise. He turned to see it land, flapping its wings furiously before charging again, it's massive jaws ready to clamp down on his head.

He threw his bola haphazardly, but he didn't get close enough to the eyes to blind it. It was enough that he managed to tie its jaw shut, and he jumped on it anyway as it went by. Before he could even _try _to make _Tsahaylu_, the _ikran _pulled into a steep dive, and Mosyk squeezed his eyes shut as the rushing wind stung them. How could he bond with this thing if he was afraid to let go of its neck? All of its twisting and turning was making him sick -- this was going nowhere!

"All right you oversized fan-lizard," Mosyk growled, "we're gonna do things _my _way from now on!"

He grabbed his queue and connected it to the _ikran'_s as quickly as he could, almost falling off in the process. The rush he felt from the bond was even more furious this time.

He felt the beast's powerful muscles, its wings beating through the air, as though they were his own -- there were so many pictures and sounds that came through the link, the memories of the both of them were being shared, the powerful emotions began to blend together as their heartbeats seemed to be in perfect synch.

'_Fly straight!' _He told it, and it did so, _'back to the mountain, now.'_

His new _ikran _readily obeyed, and as they flew, their bond was sealed. They would be partners for life.

* * *

**That ending bugs me, but I have part of 15 written already.**

**Iknimaya was haaard...thanks to AngelBornOfHell and the stone tiger for the advice, though!**

**As I was writing this I was all: "Damn..._Tsahaylu _must feel friggin' _weird_."  
**


	15. Sealing the Bond

**So here's another chapter. Graaaawr (that was a bear).**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Mosyk never expected to love flying so much. The wind blowing his hair back was relaxing, and seeing everything from above was amazing. He had awhile before he had to go back with the others, he might as well get to know his new hunting partner.

'_So, boy,' _Mosyk began silently, _'how about a name?'_

The _ikran _screeched and shook him a bit, suddenly angry.

'_Woah, sorry!' _Mosyk amended, cautiously adding, _'…girl?'_

The now-confirmed female calmed once more gliding smoothly again.

'_Anyway, back to a name,' _Mosyk continued, _'tell me which ones you like. Unil?'_

The so far unnamed _ikran _grunted in disapproval.

'_No? Uh…Meuia?'_

Another screech clearly said "no."

'_Hmm…picky thing, aren't you? Nyra. That is my final offer.'_

The _ikran _made no sound, but Mosyk received a feeling of pleasure through their connection and smiled.

'_That's a yes?'_

Mosyk held on tight as Nyra went into a loop, flipping in the air without any sort of warning.

"I told you to stop that!" He finally said aloud. He received nothing more than a smug, mischievous vibe through their link. "Oh great, I chose the rebel. Let's just go back." He repeated the command silently, and Nyra took him back towards the mountain, where the last student, Sreu, had just finished her flight as well. Txur had called his own mount over, planning to fly home with them all.

"Well done, all of you," Txur said proudly, "now we will return home, I'm sure your families will be proud as well."

They all took off at once, and Mosyk was glad to be back in the air again so soon. He steered Nyra towards Endyna and her _ikran_, not having spoken to her since he had bonded with Nyra -- he hadn't even seen her get her _ikran. _

As Mosyk got close enough he saw that many cuts and scrapes covered Endyna's skin, and when he finally took the time to look down at himself he noticed he hadn't exactly escaped unscathed either. The rush of adrenaline had blocked the pain, but now that he knew the stinging sensations returned.

Endyna turned to look at him and smiled, the teasing, friendly grin that she saved only for him and no one else.

"You weren't scared, were you?" She asked innocently.

"_Yes_," Mosyk replied emphatically.

"Me too," Endyna admitted, "but Tompa here isn't so bad -- even if he _did _try to tear my limbs off."

"Really?" Mosyk grimaced, "Nyra just tried to knock me off of her back and let me fall. In fact sometimes I think she's _still _trying to do that. She does loops when she's happy."

Endyna snickered, "really? Sounds like fun."

"It's not fun," Mosyk grunted, "it makes me feel sick."

Suddenly, Mosyk paused, his eyes wandering downwards towards Nyra and growing wide.

"Oh, no. Don't even _think_ about--AH!" He held on to Nyra's neck as she once again flipped over in midair.

'_Quit showing off!' _Mosyk told her silently, angrily, _'it's only fun for one of us, you know!'_

Endyna was struggling not to laugh too loudly at Mosyk's terrified face as Nyra straightened out. Unfortunately, he saw this, and frowned deeply.

"Oh, shut up."

* * *

Despite how small Nyra was compared to the other _ikran_, Neytiri and Jake were proud of their son, both for successfully bonding and not dying. Apparently Mosyk had his hands full -- female _ikran_, though not as aggressive as the males, were notoriously stubborn and feisty, making them difficult to tame completely.

"That's why she doesn't listen to me when I tell her not to loop and roll and all that nauseating stuff," Mosyk sighed, "so I'm doomed?"

"Of course not," Neytiri told him, sitting down in her son's bed next to him. Mosyk had taken them to a short meeting with his new friend, and it had since gotten late so they had come home. "You just need to show her that you are not afraid of her, and that what you say is worth listening to."

"How do I do that?" Mosyk asked.

"The relationship between a hunter and their mount is give and take," she said, "if Nyra senses your fear, she will doubt your decisions and make her own. _Ikran_, even when bonded, are not completely mindless. Make her trust you."

"You need to at least _look _like you know what you're doing," Jake clarified.

"But what if I can't?" Mosyk moaned, "what if I have no idea, and she _never _trusts me?"

"You must not think that way," Neytiri chastised, "it does not help to think of everything that could go wrong before you even try."

Mosyk nodded sullenly, "right. I think I'll go to sleep now, I know it's a little early but…"

"I am sure you're very tired," Neytiri nodded in understanding, "rest."

"If you're anything like me you'll ache pretty badly in the morning," Jake told his son, "those things really toss you around."

Mosyk just nodded, closing his eyes. He couldn't sleep, he realized, not even after his parents had gone to bed. He didn't get it -- he was _so _tired, he _wanted _to sleep; why couldn't he?

Giving up, he sat up, making as little noise as possible as he wandered out of his home. He quietly snuck out of Hometree and into the glowing forest, thinking. He'd never noticed how many _ikran _slept in the high trees instead of the Thundering Rocks, but he decided that it must be only the ones bonded with a Na'vi that were close by.

Cautiously, he let out his own distinct call for Nyra, waiting a few moments before she landed beside him, making that low "_nyrrh_" sound again.

"Sorry to wake you," Mosyk murmured, stroking her head cautiously, as if afraid she might bite him, "mother said to make you trust me."

A shiver went down his spine as he made _Tsahaylu _again, and he hopped on Nyra's back, trying to decide how he could gain her full trust.

'_Have you ever flown at night?' _He asked silently, and he immediately felt a rush of fear come from Nyra's mind, _'it might be fun. Maybe I could--'_

He cut himself off, remembering his mother's advice.

'_I could protect you from whatever's out there,' _he said with new conviction, _'I promise. You listen to me, we'll be all right.'_

Nyra's fear did not leave, but she took off from the ground anyway. The cool night air made Mosyk smile, and he sighed contentedly.

'_Sometimes,' _he thought to Nyra, _'and I do know what I'm talking about here, so hear me out -- sometimes you're so scared of something going wrong in your life, that you forget to think about everything that could go right. I'm afraid of you never trusting me, but I'm gonna show you that you can.'_

Nyra's fear of the darkness surrounding her began to fade, being replaced with a feeling of contentment.

'_And you're afraid of the dark. You're scared of things sneaking up on you, trying to get you because you're small. I'm small too, but we can't let that make us afraid of everything bigger than us, right? Watch, we'll be the best hunters ever -- I'm fast and you can fly, we'll do great.'_

He received no response, but the content, comfortable feeling remained.

'_Wanna be friends? For real?'_

Suddenly, he heard deep in the back of his mind, clear as day: _'yes.'_

They flew most of the night, and in the air they could not feel the ground below shake violently, or see the few loose rocks on the mountains fall to the ground or the water ripple as though something was tearing up the planet from beneath the soil.

* * *

**Ah, a boy and his _ikran._ Somehow I don't think it's supposed to be this weird...**

**Underground DANGER.  
**


	16. Tremors

**Hi.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**When Mosyk returned to Hometree the next morning, everyone was awake. Looking at the Na'vi closely, he saw that most of their eyes were glazed with a mixture of confusion and fear, and before he could wonder what he'd missed, his mother embraced him suddenly. When Neytiri pulled away from her son, he saw that her eyes were filled with worry as well as anger, and she put her hands on his shoulders and gave him a rough, angry shake before hugging him again.

"Where have you _been_?" She asked, "I've been looking _everywhere _for you -- you _know _better than to leave Hometree at night, Mosyk!"

Mosyk was suddenly awash with shame, but his curiosity was not dulled, "what's happened, _sa'nu_?"

Neytiri was silent for a moment, looking around at her clan be for speaking to Mosyk, "late at night the ground began to shake, Mosyk, very badly. Come," Neytiri led Mosyk towards the edge of the tree where he could get a good look at the ground. He gasped at what he saw -- deep trenches had formed where the rough shaking had torn the ground apart, spider webbing towards the horizon until Mosyk couldn't see them anymore.

"What were you doing last night, Mosyk," Neytiri's eyes filled with terror at the memory of not knowing where her son was, or what had happened to him, "that was so important?"

"I was…spending time with Nyra, you said to gain her trust, mother, so…" Mosyk nervously shifted from foot to foot as he tried to explain himself, "I'm sorry."

Before Neytiri could reply, Jake began to speak.

"Until we find out what exactly is going on, we'll have to follow some new rules -- no children under thirteen may leave Hometree, and all warriors -- young and old -- will go out in groups of no less than three. We don't know whether or not this was a one time thing, so we'll all need to be careful. Understand?"

The clan nodded, and some let out murmurs of agreement before going back to their routine.

And so Neytiri and Jake had plenty of time to think of another penalty for their son.

* * *

Whoever came up with the idea of "grounding" was now Mosyk's worst enemy. Instead of doing mountains and mountains of work, Mosyk was forced to sit in his hammock and do nothing.

Absolutely _nothing. _For the _entire _day.

Luckily, Mosyk made use of most of the time making up for the sleep he hadn't gotten the night before, but after he was fully rested he realized how incredibly _boring _the rest of his day was going to be.

Outside he heard people talking, playing games, laughing…this was _worse _than work!

Slowly he let himself drift off into an odd half-sleep state where he remained for ours, his thoughts foggy and empty.

* * *

"Ou'tan, this is a bad idea," Dyta murmured as he and Udrau followed the larger boy deep into the forest. Udrau and Ou'tan had wanted to go alone, but that pesky no less than three rule required them to drag along Dyta for the ride. "A horrible idea."

"Quiet," Ou'tan hissed, "I didn't _ask _for your opinion. Udrau's not complaining."

Udrau had been silent along the way towards Ou'tan's intended target, not making eye contact with anyone and biting his lip to keep from exclaiming exactly how deeply he agreed with Dyta. This was a bad, scary idea.

Ou'tan had decided (for himself and his current sidekicks) that they would go looking for the source of the last night's quake. Ou'tan's wild curiosity drove him towards his goal -- along with the thought that if he found the cause he, of course, be a hero.

"I see something up here," Ou'tan spoke again, "keep up."

In a deserted clearing lay what looked like the opening to a deep tunnel -- one made by something large and strong, as it was plowed straight through the layers of hard dirt and stone that covered the inner layer of Pandora. Just looking at it made Udrau quiver with fear as he imagined _what _could have made such a thing.

"What is that?" Dyta breathed, shaking, "what _is _that?"

"I don't know," Ou'tan murmured, and, to his friends' dismay, he drew closer towards the monstrous hole. Picking up a large stone, he tossed it in and waited.

"Ou'tan, come back here," Udrau murmured, "Ou'tan get back here _now._"

Ou'tan didn't have time to reply before the ground rumbled beneath their feet, nearly drowning out a loud screech of fury. The monster that resided underground surfaced, but Dyta and Udrau couldn't remember what it looked like -- all they remembered was Ou'tan's scream as it seized him, dragging him under, into the tunnel.

The very last scream was cut short, and the two remaining Na'vi were almost white, their eyes full of horror.

Finally, they gathered enough sense to run.

* * *

Mosyk barely paid attention to what went on outside his hollow, still in a foggy, blurry haze and empty mind. He hardly noticed when the rest of Hometree fell silent, but his bleary yellow eyes widened when he heard what caused the sudden tension. Udrau's voice was hard to make out, but Mosyk could tell it was him--

"_Ou'tan is dead!"_

_

* * *

_**This isn't as long of a chapter, but it does have a lot of stuff in it...I'm not that pleased with it either way, though.**

**Yes. He's killed off for real.**

**Bright side: You can expect a little character development for Udrau.**_  
_


	17. Destroyer of Forests

**Here's another chapter -- sort of uneventful, but they can't all be exciting. There is important stuff in here.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Udrau felt as if his ears were filled with cotton, muffling everything around him. After he'd announced Ou'tan's death, it was like confirming, finalizing what he had already witnessed. Ou'tan was dead -- eaten alive by _something _-- and he wasn't coming back. Gone. _Forever._

He felt the Olo'eyktan's large hand on his shoulder, and he knew he was being spoken to, but the words were fuzzy -- he couldn't make them out.

"_Udrau, you need to tell me what happened, all right? Udrau, can you hear me?"_

Udrau shook his head violently -- he could hear, but he couldn't understand, and any sort of reply died in his throat. His mouth felt dry, he felt dizzy and nauseous, his entire body was shaking.

Though his eyes were wide open, Udrau's limp body suddenly crumpled to the ground, and he lay there, eyes closing as his world faded away to black.

* * *

"_Will he be all right, Ha'ni?"_

"_He has no injuries, but he's very shaken. Whatever he saw out there must have been horrible."_

"_Will he wake up soon? Dyta won't say anything -- he says he doesn't remember what happened, that it's all a blur."_

"_He will wake when he is ready."_

Udrau let out a low groan as the fog in his head began to clear, letting him think straight once more as he awoke. He opened his eyes, sticky with sleep, to see Ha'ni and Neytiri above him. He looked around -- he was in the medicine hollow. When he finally remembered the reason, his eyes filled with fear again at the memories that floated around in his head.

"How are you feeling?" Ha'ni asked tentatively, "you've been asleep a long while, now."

Udrau didn't reply. He couldn't find the words to describe how he felt.

"I assume that you know what we will ask you," Neytiri said, her voice surprisingly gentle, "but can you remember how Ou'tan died, Udrau?"

Udrau was torn. He didn't want to describe it out loud, but he did remember the event. If he said he didn't, he would be lying to the Tsahik -- just the thought of that made him feel terrible.

"Ou'tan…he wanted to know what caused the shaking, so he asked me and Dyta to come with him, because we needed three people," Udrau began, his voice quiet, "and we got to a clearing and there…there was this big _hole _in the ground, almost like a cave. Ou'tan wondered if there was anything in there so he got closer -- I told him not to, I really did -- and he threw a stone in there. Nothing happened at first, but then…" Udrau trailed off, his voice breaking. He closed his eyes, taking a deep, shuddering breath before looking at Neytiri again. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

"But then what?" Neytiri asked, "I know this must be hard, Udrau, but you must tell us everything you know."

"Then," Udrau began again, breathing deeply, "_something _just came out of the hole and it…it was _big _and…it took him away. Underground. He was screaming…but before I could think of what to do, it was suddenly all quiet again. Really quiet."

Neytiri looked just as horrified as he felt, and so did Ha'ni. The two women shared a glance before Neytiri spoke again.

"Do you remember what this thing looked like, Udrau?"

Udrau could only recall minor things that he really hadn't been paying attention to at the time.

"It was bigger than a _palulukan,_" he began, "it was…some parts of it were brown and some were yellow…it had four legs that I could see, there might have been more…it had _really _big teeth -- it didn't look like it had eyes, though. It was scary."

Neytiri nodded, letting out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. She stood up.

"Thank you for sharing this with me," she murmured, then looked at Ha'ni, "I will go speak with Jake."

Udrau winced. Even Neytiri sounded scared.

* * *

"So," Mosyk said to Endyna at dinner, "what do you think really happened?"

Endyna swallowed her mouthful of food before replying. "I'm not sure I want to know," she said, "you saw Udrau's face -- I've never seen anyone that scared before."

Mosyk and Endyna had been discussing the matter since Jake and Neytiri decided to release him from his prison. At first Mosyk had tried to visit Udrau, but Ha'ni shooed him away, saying he needed his rest and shouldn't be disturbed. Curiosity was killing them both, but neither would ask for more information, even if someone besides his mother and Udrau knew what was happening.

Ever since Neytiri had finished visiting Udrau, she and Jake hadn't left their hollow -- which Mosyk realized was the reason he was "un-grounded," they were discussing something private.

"You know," Mosyk murmured, looking at the ground, "sometimes, when Ou'tan was mean to me, I would…I would say I wished he was gone. But now he's gone and…I don't really _miss _him, but he should be here. With his mother and father…they're so sad."

Endyna said nothing, but nodded.

"And Udrau's probably scarred for life," Mosyk continued, "and his best friend's gone."

Endyna looked Mosyk in the eye, and jerked her head towards his father and mother, who had finally reappeared. By their grave expressions, Mosyk could tell that they had bad news to deliver.

"Udrau has told us his story," Jake addressed his clan seriously, "and, despite rumors you have heard today, his death was no accident."

The clan was silent as they waited for their leader to finish.

"He was killed," Jake said at last, "by a creature called _Na'ring Ska'ayu._"

* * *

**_Na'ring Ska'ayu_: Forest Destroyer/Destroyer of Forests. Completely made up -- I needed something big and a thanator just wasn't going to cut it.  
**


	18. No Longer Enemies

**New chpater hurr hurr hurr :D**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**Jake hadn't continued his announcement, but instead called Tswayon to speak from that point on. Tswayon, one of the oldest people in the clan, new the most about the creature, even though it hadn't been seen or heard from in over one hundred years.

"Unlike _palulukan_," the old woman began, struggling to make her soft voice audible, "the _na'ring ska'ayu _does have it's own song, though the story is never told unless in times of great need -- it is a warning. _Na'ring ska'ayu _lives deep under the ground, and rarely surfaces. The last time it attacked, even I was not born yet, so I do not know everything, but I do know that we are -- unfortunately -- lucky that only one person has died. When this monster surfaces, it is a merciless killer and Na'vi eater."

Though she wasn't finished, she paused, her eyes pained at the sound and sight of her clan's terror.

"I do not know how, but it was defeated long ago -- or so they thought. Apparently it was merely sleeping, and something has woken it up."

"I want all of my senior warriors to meet with me over here," Jake said after a moment's pause, "we need to figure out what to do, here."

Mosyk watched as his father, mother, and many others gathered around in a small circle at one end of the Hometree, feeling just as frightened as his clan mates at the news.

"We're going to be _eaten_," he breathed, trembling, "oh, Eywa, don't let us be eaten!"

"We're _not _going to be eaten," Endyna said, trying to sound calm, "stupid Ou'tan got to close to it so _he _got eaten, but we'll be safe. Your father helped the clan fight a _war _before we were born, remember? He can get the clan through this, too."

Mosyk looked in Endyna's eyes and felt ashamed -- why was he so scared when she was so calm? He needed to be strong! He needed to stop being such a wimp! He needed to--

Mosyk's train of thought derailed as he continued to meet Endyna's gaze. Her yellow, cat-like eyes just seemed so hypnotizing lately, so…_pretty_…

"Mosyk?" Endyna frowned, a little unnerved, "are you all right?"

"What?" Mosyk shook his head wildly, trying to clear his thoughts.

"You were staring," Endyna told him, "it was a little weird. What's with you these days?"

"I don't know," Mosyk said honestly. He looked around for something, _anything_, to change the subject.

Mosyk noticed right then that Udrau had since left the medicine hollow. Just as Mosyk glanced at him, the young Na'vi lifted his head and met his gaze, and something told Mosyk that he wanted to speak to him.

* * *

Despite the things he had done during his friendship with Ou'tan, Udrau wasn't a bad person. Just a little…lost. He was far from stupid or mean spirited, but he never chose to show it. He was scared.

Udrau's family was unremarkable, average, and mundane, and so Udrau himself was unremarkable, average, and mundane. Nothing was worse than feeling unimportant, he always thought, nothing. He'd always wanted to be something more -- he wanted to be noticed.

Ou'tan's father was one of the best hunters in the clan, and Ou'tan himself was strong, if not very smart. Ou'tan was recognized despite not really doing anything of any real importance -- so why did Udrau get the shaft?

Being friends with Ou'tan had made Udrau feel important, powerful, because Ou'tan was important for some reason. Ou'tan was mean and strong and stupid, but people noticed him, and when Udrau tagged along, he was noticed too. It almost made up for the guilt and shame he felt every day after taking part in one of Ou'tan's acts of bullying.

Looking at Mosyk made Udrau feel even worse. All along he knew that the boy had never done anything wrong (though he wasn't exactly in the habit of doing anything _right…_) and the memory of Mosyk's pain and humiliation as a result of some of Ou'tan's tricks made him feel almost nauseous. The thing with the _nantang _took the cake, and since then, Udrau had been trying to get out of his friendship with Ou'tan by refusing to join in any more plans. Ou'tan did not like the word 'no' however, and somehow Udrau always gave in. Ou'tan was always so much bigger, so intimidating.

But now he was gone, and maybe this was Udrau's chance to make up for everything he messed up.

"Hi," Udrau jumped when he heard Mosyk's voice.

"Hi," he replied, not looking up.

Mosyk cleared his throat; he obviously hadn't prepared any sort of speech other than that short greeting, "…how are you feeling?"

"I all right," Udrau said. A long, awkward silence stretched between the two of them before he spoke again, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Just…_everything,_" Udrau said, and the words came spilling out, "everything Ou'tan and I did to you -- those insults and stuff, the _nantang__-- especially _that, that was so bad…I didn't…I didn't _want _to do it…"

"Why did you?" Mosyk asked.

"Because Ou'tan said," was Udrau's pathetic answer, "and he was…bigger than I am. Scary, too. And I…it's not _fair._"

"What's not fair?"

"That you and Ou'tan -- _you _mess everything up _all _the time, and Ou'tan was strong and stupid and you two…_everyone _knows your names by heart and _I _try my best to be the good one, the smart one, and all I get is 'hey, it's that one guy'! You two have important parents, and I don't, so _I _get punished for being _boring _and…selfish." Udrau only realized the last part when he thought about the things he had just said.

"Well, what a nice thing to say," Mosyk muttered, "anything else?"

Udrau nodded, "I…I don't want to be your enemy anymore."

Mosyk took a moment to think about Udrau's words.

"What, because you don't have any muscle to back you up anymore?" He said scathingly.

"_No_," Udrau hissed, "because I don't want to be like Ou'tan, I don't want to do the things he told me to -- I want to be a part of my clan again. I never had the guts to say anything I thought to his face, but…I want to start over. We don't have to be friends, but I don't want my leader to hate me when we get older."

Mosyk once again thought deeply, his emotions conflicting. Udrau had always been so mean to him, but he also sounded like he was telling the truth -- like he really wanted to change. All Udrau had wanted to do was be noticed, and even though he went about it the wrong way, that didn't mean he should be condemned for life.

"I'm not your leader, yet," Mosyk finally said, "but…you sound really honest right now, and I'm trying to be mature lately. Maybe we could be friends one day."

Udrau actually smiled, a genuine one instead of those mean smirks that often adorned his face.

"Then can I tell you something?"

Mosyk looked cautious, but nodded.

"You see Endyna over there?" Udrau pointed the girl out, lounging next to the fire.

"Yes…"

Udrau paused and looked Mosyk straight in the eye.

"Would you just _kiss _her or something already?" He said suddenly, "you've been mooning over her for days -- it's _disgusting._"

"You're kinda ruining the whole friendship thing right now, Udrau."

* * *

**Yeah, holy inappropriate, Batman. :/**

**Udrau lacks tact.**


	19. Wanting, Needing

**I promise this will be finished soon. Maybe in one or two chapters. Most likely two.**

**EDIT: I SCREWED UP. _Endyna's _father's name is Txep, _Ou'tan's _father's name is Taw. SORRY. HOW COME NO ONE SAID ANYTHING. OMG.**

**Good thing I'm not one to panic.  
**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**"Jakesully, what are we going to do about this?" Txur asked his leader, "obviously we cannot let this monster run free any longer -- it has already killed one of our people." Txur spared a pitying glance at Taw, Ou'tan's father, as he spoke. Jake was especially sympathetic to him as well, seeing as he also had a son the same age, and never wanted to experience first hand the same feeling of loss from which Taw and his mate were suffering.

"I don't know," Jake said, the words scratching his throat raw on the way out of his mouth. He hated saying those words to his clan.

"We can't make the same mistake as our ancestors," Taw finally said, his voice hoarse and quiet, "when it disappeared, they thought it was dead and left it alone -- we must be sure this time."

Jake went silent for a moment, thinking hard, before speaking again.

"It lives underground, and that's what's going to be the hard part -- we need to get it to come up, but that only happens when someone gets too close, and by then it's too late…"

"The gorge," Txur suddenly murmured, mostly to himself.

"What?" Jake prompted when Txur fell silent.

"If someone or something were to run above ground towards the gorge, the _na'ring ska'ayu _would follow it quickly -- it won't come up until its target slows or stops moving -- and by the time it got to the gorge and the target stopped, it would burst through the Cliffside and fall into the river."

"But what would we use as 'bait'?" Jake asked curiously -- Txur's plan did sound better than anything he had tried to come up with, "a _pa'li _would be exhausted before it even got that far, and we couldn't exactly chase anything towards the gorge -- not even a really stupid _palulukan _would go anywhere near there. And there's no Na'vi fast enough…to…" Jake trailed off, taking in a deep breath and making a small "tsst" sound as he breathed out.

"I'll do it," Mosyk came out from hiding -- eavesdropping _again_, Jake realized with anger -- and looking down at his feet sheepishly, "if you need me to, I'll do it."

"Mosyk," Neytiri murmured from Jake's side, "it was just an idea, you don't need to--"

"It's a _good _idea," Mosyk admitted, "and if that's the only way, I can do it. You said it yourselves -- there's no one else here that could run as fast as I can."

"Mosyk, this is a _very _dangerous task you are committing yourself to," Txur said in an even tone, "you need to think."

"I _am _thinking!" Mosyk exclaimed, and then he looked at his parents, "you're always saying I could do anything I put my mind to, and I'm putting my mind into saving my home. Mother, father," Mosyk sat down in front of his parents, "you're not…taking it back, are you?"

Jake and Neytiri exchanged a glance full of an emotion that Mosyk couldn't identify before looking at their son.

"We can't take it back," Jake said, "but Mosyk, this monster is just that -- a monster. A killer. It _will _kill you if it gets the chance. Do you want to give it that chance, Mosyk?"

"I _won't_," Mosyk said, "I can do it, I swear!" After his words were met with silence, he added, "the Olo'eyktan needs to protect their clan, right? Well…if _I'm _going to be the Olo'eyktan when I get older, _I'll _have to do that -- why can't I start now?"

Txur and Taw looked at their leaders with questioning eyes. Jake nodded.

"We'll consider it, Mosyk," Jake said finally, "if there really is no other way, you'll have to help save the clan."

Those words suddenly made Mosyk's stomach churn as he exited their hollow.

What exactly had he just gotten himself into?

* * *

"You _what?!_"

Endyna was obviously not happy at all about Mosyk's plan when she was told.

"Endyna, I--"

"You little _skxawng_!" She interrupted, "how could you…you could be _killed_, Mosyk -- you could _die. _Did that even occur to you?"

"Yes," Mosyk hissed, "and stop _yelling. _Can I just explain this to you so you don't go all crazy on me?! Not that you haven't already, actually…"

"Fine," Endyna said, "explain it to me."

"I need to protect the clan, I need to save it, and I'm the only one who can," Mosyk said flatly, "isn't that enough of an explanation?"

"No," Endyna shook her head, "Mosyk, I know you can do it, I think, but you _can't _-- I mean, you _can't _just…just…what if you don't make it and you're gone and--and you're supposed to…you _promised _you'd help me find something I'm good at, remember? That night in the rain? You haven't done that yet…you can't just leave me here…"

Mosyk realized that Endyna wasn't mad as much as she was _scared_. Mosyk was her best friend, and the thought of him in so much danger terrified her. She didn't want to lose him.

"I'll be okay," Mosyk said quietly.

"You remember when we got our _ikran_, Mosyk?" Endyna muttered suddenly, "where you couldn't cover Nyra's eyes but you jumped on her anyway and you went off the side of the mountains? You didn't come back up…I thought you were dead," she said, "don't _do _that again, Mosyk…I--" She stopped suddenly, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. Mosyk did the same with her waist, and for awhile they didn't let go.

"I know you can do it," Mosyk's ear twitched as Endyna's breath touched it when she whispered, "but don't leave me, okay?"

"M'not going to," Mosyk muttered, "I need you just as much as you need me, all right?"

Endyna let go, nodding sullenly.

"I should go to bed," Mosyk said after a moment, gazing at Endyna straight in her eyes, "uh…big day tomorrow."

Endyna blinked and looked away, "yeah. But don't leave tomorrow until I get to say goodbye, okay?"

"Okay," Mosyk nodded, not moving until he was sure that Endyna wasn't looking. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. _She _needs _me._

_That _would be a nice thought to ponder before he went to sleep.

* * *

**...you horny little alien bastard.**

**She didn't mean it like _that._  
**


	20. Downfall

**Well, friends, we are getting towards the end of our adventure. This is most likely the second to last chapter if I don't include an epilogue.**

**Please enjoy.**

**Oh, and go ahead and head over to avatarprime(dot)net. It's a neato forum for Avatar fans. **

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**"Mosyk," Jake said to his son early the next morning, "you don't have to do this if you don't want to. There could be other ways, if you don't think you're ready…"

"Father, I think I am," Mosyk said, "I really think so. I _do _have to."

"I don't think you will change his mind, Jake," Neytiri told her mate, "he is stubborn, he gets it from you. He's willing to help, we must let him do so."

"I know," Jake murmured so that only Neytiri could hear -- Mosyk had since wandered off to find Endyna before going, "but he's our _son_, Neytiri. What if he…"

"He won't," Neytiri said, trying to sound sure, "if he believes he can do this, then he _can _do it." Neytiri paused, seeing that Jake was still uneasy, "I'm scared too, Jake. But you will be there to help, won't you?"

"Yes," Jake nodded, "Txur, Taw, and I will go too in case he suddenly needs our help…" Jake trailed off as his eyes fell on Mosyk and Endyna, gazing at each other and saying things Jake was too far away to hear, "I don't think we're the only ones who don't want him to go just yet."

Neytiri followed her mate's gaze and smirked, "and everyone else can see that, too. I don't think we'll have to choose his mate for him."

* * *

"Promise me you'll come back," Endyna said, taking Mosyk's hands and entwining her fingers with his, "you need to promise."

"I don't know if I can--" Mosyk started to say, but Endyna wouldn't hear any of it.

"I need you to come back, Mosyk," she muttered, "because you still need to help me and…I need to talk to you about something later."

"Why not now?" Mosyk asked, "because, you know, if you _really _want to say something to me, now would be an excellent time to say it."

"It's really important," Endyna said, then she fell silent, biting her lip.

"Well then _what _is it?" Mosyk asked, growing impatient, "Endyna, you can tell me anyth--"

Mosyk was cut off when Endyna wrapped her arms around his neck, and pressed her lips against his softly. Mosyk's eyes were wide at first, but, as he realized what was happening, they slowly closed, and he deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her waist. His heart was pounding, feeling her warm, smooth skin pressed up against his was so nice, he'd never felt anything like it before, not even as the same tingling went up and down his spine. Endyna pulled away after a long moment, panting.

"Does _that _make you want to come back, Mosyk?" Endyna asked, looking at him desperately, "can you promise me now?"

Mosyk kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear gently, "yeah -- I promise."

When he went to his father, he was walking on air and his head was full of stars.

* * *

"Mosyk, do you understand the plan?" Jake asked his son, kneeling in order to look him in the eye.

"You, Txur and Taw will go out there with me," Mosyk repeated his father's plan, "and position yourselves along the course, ready to help me if I fall and get me off the ground. But really I just have to run from here to the gorge."

"And you can't climb the trees, Mosyk," Jake reminded him, "you have to have your feet on the ground or it won't follow you. You got it?"

"I know," Mosyk nodded, looking more serious than ever, "let's go."

"All right," Jake said, "Txur and Taw are talking to your mother, go get them and we'll go."

Mosyk did as he was told, and received one last embrace from his mother before leaving.

He left Hometree with one last look at what he just might be leaving behind forever.

* * *

Everyone was in position.

It was dangerous to just stay still on the ground, and Mosyk was getting nervous just standing around. He couldn't go until Jake gave him a signal.

He could barely see his father in the distance, but he still stared intently at him, awaiting the signal. Jake waved his hand at his son, and nodded.

Mosyk jumped up, landing on the ground as hard as he could until he felt the signature rumbling and shaking of the _na'ring ska'ayu_'s presence. Then he took off.

Mosyk's feet slammed down hard on the ground even while he ran as quickly as he could, baiting the monster efficiently into following him. He pushed himself to go faster, even as the trees raced past him in colored blurs and the wind in his ears blocked out any other sound. His body shook with pure excitement -- not necessarily the good kind, just the adrenaline that fueled him and kept him going. There was still a good distance to go before he reached his destination, but the monster he intended to destroy was following him faithfully.

When the gorge within his sight, even more adrenaline rushed through him -- he made it! He was almost there!

When he was the right distance, he jumped in his attempt to stop. The _na'ring ska'ayu _had built up so much momentum that it didn't stop, and, just like Txur had predicted, it burst through the rock wall and fell to the river below. It _was _as hideous as Udrau described, and as big.

But Mosyk wasn't focusing on that. The monster's exit from the rock had caused the ground beneath him to shift and become unsteady and weak.

Mosyk heard his father call his name as the ground gave away beneath the young Na'vi's feet, taking him along with it as he plummeted, headed towards the same fate as the very monster he had killed.

"_Mosyk!_"

* * *

**You didn't think it was going to be easy, did you?**

**EndynaxMosyk forever.**


	21. The End

**I KNOW. I'M SORRY.**

**--Phanny**

**

* * *

**The sensation of free-falling was all too familiar to Mosyk, and he would always hate how it felt like the air itself was whistling through him, making him nauseous, and the wind roaring in his ears so that the rest of the world faded out of existence -- all that was left was the sensation of falling, the wind, and his imminent death.

Mosyk knew that this would be nothing like his experience with Endyna and the waterfall. The water below him was almost all white with thundering rapids. If he didn't drown, the force would smash him into one of the many jagged rocks and crush him. He couldn't even pretend to have any hope.

'_Eywa, I saved my clan,' _he silently begged, _'I did good, didn't I? I helped save your children…I'm your child, too, right?'_

Eywa didn't answer. Was this her will? Was he meant to die this way?

"_Stop that moaning, child," _when Mosyk heard that voice, the only thing he could think of was that, if this was Eywa, she sounded a lot like Y'enit, _"you will not die today."_

'…_Y'enit?' _

"_You have done well by saving the people," _Y'enit's voice pressed on, _"but there is so much more to do for them before you will join me here."_

Her words were slightly reassuring, Mosyk wasn't convinced. It was hopeless, even the smallest child could see that. He was about to hit the water…

So why did he land on something solid?

Beneath him was something solid, warm, and it was moving. Before he could comprehend what it was on his own, the thing made a low _"nyrrh" _sound.

"Nyra…"

Somehow his _ikran _had found him, had sensed his danger, and had rescued him. Frankly, he didn't care how she knew.

Soon Mosyk realized that Nyra was flying blindly -- she had no idea where to go. Now that she had accomplished what she wanted, she was expecting him to guide her through the rest. Mosyk made _Tsahaylu _quickly, fear rippling through him at the thought of being 'accidentally' thrown off of her back.

'_Back to the top…' _he told her silently, hoping she would understand. Luckily, she seemed to well enough, and landed near where Jake, Txur, and Taw were standing anxiously, Jake with his head in his hands before he looked up at Nyra. His eyes were wide with a relief that he couldn't put into words.

Mosyk dazedly got off of Nyra's back, his eyes narrowed with exhaustion.

"Father…" Mosyk murmured weakly, "I did good…?"

"You did very good," Jake told him. This seemed to appease Mosyk, for immediately after hearing those words, he promptly collapsed with a moan of exhaustion.

* * *

"You're sure he's all right, right?" Fuzzy voices weaved in and out of Mosyk's brain as he began to awaken. The first one sounded vaguely like Endyna, though he couldn't be sure.

"He is fine. A few cuts and bruises, but he's just exhausted now. He will wake soon, be patient."

Mosyk opened his eyes, searching the faces of those surrounding him -- his mother and father, Endyna, Udrau…as he looked, he saw their faces change from worry to relief.

Mosyk attempted to sit up, and his eyes widened when he did, and he gasped in pain. Every part of his body was incredibly sore, and he winced.

"Mistake," he groaned as he lay back down on his hammock, "that was a mistake, ow."

"Keep still," Ha'ni told him, "you'll be feeling that for awhile."

Mosyk let out a pathetic sounding moan of displeasure, "no fair…"

Neytiri stroked her son's hair fondly, "it is a small price to pay. You saved the clan, Mosyk, we are very proud of you."

"And happy you aren't dead," Udrau added helpfully.

Mosyk noticed Endyna hadn't said anything to him, and he looked her in the eyes, where he saw an emotion he couldn't describe, but the way she looked at him alone made his insides warm up. She wanted to tell him something, he could see that, but it was meant only for his ears. She wanted them to be alone. He could wait.

* * *

Mosyk was limping out of the medicine hollow slowly, headed towards home, when Endyna brushed his arm with her fingers as she passed by. Taking the hint, he followed her to a very secluded area of Hometree, where she helped him sit down before she did the same.

"You came back," were her first words.

"I came back," Mosyk nodded, seeing in her eyes how much those simple words meant to her.

"I want to know," Endyna looked apprehensive, "you know what we, uhm, did before you left, right?"

"I was there," Mosyk smiled at the memory.

"Well, I was thinking…" Endyna continued, "I know you didn't push me away, but…were you just afraid you wouldn't be back, or did you really, really mean it? I-I know you like Tanhi, too, and I'm just your friend--"

"Tanhi is pretty," Mosyk said, and his heart sank at her betrayed expression, "but you're…_you. _You're my best friend, I can tell you anything, we know each other…" Mosyk trailed off when he realized it. His father's advice from what seemed like ages ago rang in his ears, "and we _See _each other, don't we?"

Endyna smiled and nodded, "I See you," she said, "every day, whenever we talk."

"My eyes were on other girls for awhile," Mosyk admitted, then he leaned back and pulled her close to him, "my heart is with you. I was just too much of a _skxawng _to see it."

When Endyna just laughed, he frowned.

"You should say that I'm not stupid and that you love me because I am a smart and handsome boy."

Endyna just leaned on his chest, giggling.

"Stop it! If you want to be my future mate, you at least have to pretend you think I'm cool."

Endyna paused. "You want me to be your mate, Mosyk?"

Mosyk blushed and backpedaled quickly, "I--uhm, well, that is…if you, you know…wanted to think about it…maybe you'd be a good Tsahik, and…"

"If you want to know the truth," Endyna began, and Mosyk tensed. She was gonna say no, he knew it! "…I've actually thought about it a lot."

Mosyk relaxed, pleased and comforted, "you think you could make a good leader out of me?"

"Eh, my mother said everyone starts out a little rough around the edges at first," Endyna shrugged, "and that things get smoother with time. Don't worry."

Mosyk just sighed, smiling and looking out at the open sky as the sun began to set and the stars flickered to life.

The monster was gone, the clan was safe, he was in love, and he couldn't help but relax completely, hugging his love closer to him, as he thought about how _right _everything seemed -- like there was never any trouble at all, and Pandora had never seemed more beautiful.

_fin_

* * *

**And it's done! The end!**

**Thanks to all reviewers, this was a really fun story to write, and I hope it was just as much fun to read.**

**EDIT: I'm not sure if I have it in me to do a sequel. But you guys deserve an epilogue or something.**

**EDIT 2: I forgot to mention -- yes, Tanhi does pair with someone by the end.**

**Udrau: _Score!_**

**Eywa help her. :|_  
_**


	22. Epilogue

**This is an epilogue. I don't know whether or not there will be a sequel -- most likely not.**

**WARNING: There are babies in here.**

**--Phanny  
**

**

* * *

**At twenty years old, Endyna and Mosyk were at last a mated pair. Endyna had grown into a fine young woman, and Mosyk -- at long last -- had caught up to her in height. Thought they hadn't felt any different about each other after mating, their connection was made. They shared memories, secrets, and even when their braids were separate, they always seemed connected somehow. Even when they were fighting.

"Mosyk, I'm going with you," Endyna said. The stubborn tone in her voice was the same as it had always been, "I'll be fine. Stop worrying."

Mosyk wished he could. Ever since he learned that Endyna was expecting, he'd become over-protective of her to the point that it frightened even _him. _But, if something were to happen to her, he wouldn't lose just her anymore -- he'd lose _two _people. He couldn't risk such a horrible thing!

"I just don't want my son or my mate to be hurt, all right?" Mosyk shot back, "forgive a guy for caring."

"And how do you know it's going to be a son?" Endyna regarded curiously, "you can't even see it yet. If anything, _I'd _know more than you would."

Endyna was right on the first count -- she had only found out a week before, when she went to Ha'ni to see for sure -- there was no sign of her being with child at all. But Mosyk felt her second point was off. He knew it was a boy, he _knew _it. A son he could take care of -- boys he knew…even after mating, girls were _still _a bit of a mystery to him.

"We're wasting daylight, Mosyk," Endyna said, dragging him out of his thoughts, "are we going hunting, or am I going alone?"

The look of playful defiance on her face said that nothing Mosyk said would stop her. Honestly, that was one of the things he treasured most about her.

* * *

Mosyk awoke when he felt a kick.

He was laying as close to Endyna as he could in the hammock they shared, the only thing keeping them apart was Endyna's belly, which had grown larger before Mosyk's eyes -- the last six months had flown by so fast, he was surprised.

"Hnn…what is it now, Mosyk?" Endyna murmured when she felt her mate's warm hand on her stomach.

"It moved!" Mosyk whispered excitedly.

"It moves all the time, Mosyk, you just don't notice."

"Tell it to move again!"

"Go to sleep, Mosyk."

Mosyk sighed, laying back down. Maybe it was that tiny exchange that opened his eyes to reality.

There was a _baby _in there!

* * *

It had been a long time since Neytiri had been shaken awake by her son. She had honestly hoped it would be a bit longer before it happened again.

"Mother! _Please_…father, you too!"

"What is it?" Neytiri murmured, still half asleep.

"Mother! You--Endyna! Baby--right now she's--_baby!_" Luckily, Neytiri was well-versed in Mosyk's babbling by now. She could tell what was happening, and she sat up immediately.

"Where is she?" Neytiri tried to calm her son down, grasping his shoulders in an effort to keep him calm.

"Took her to Ha'ni -- she asked for you and…oh, she's gonna die! You didn't hear the way she screamed -- she's dying!"

"She's not dying," Neytiri said gently, "she is in pain. Stay here with your father and stay calm, all right?"

By this time Jake was awake as well, yawning and sliding out of bed drowsily. Before he got over to his son, Neytiri had already left the hollow.

"Mosyk, I know you're worried, but you need to calm down, all right?" Jake said patiently. He remembered only too well the nervous mess he'd been when Neytiri was in labor.

"Calm…got it…" Mosyk took deep breaths, his eyes still wide, "I'm calm."

"Now get yourself thinking straight," Jake continued, "your mate is having a baby."

"She's having a baby…"

"Right, now what are _you_ going to do?"

"Vomit, I think," Mosyk moaned, beginning to pace, "I can feel it."

"Go outside, then. I don't want it to stink in here."

* * *

Mosyk hated being wrong.

"Are you sure?" He asked his mother and Ha'ni as he held his new baby. Endyna had given birth a few hours before -- she had since fallen asleep. Mosyk wasn't surprised, she looked exhausted.

"I can tell a boy from a girl," Ha'ni said dryly, "and that child is definitely a girl."

When Mosyk got a closer look at his daughter, his disappointment faded in an instant. She was so…_tiny. _She had eight tiny fingers, eight little toes, and her small, smushed-looking face just made something inside him melt.

"Let's leave them alone for now," Neytiri murmured to Ha'ni, who nodded. Mosyk took no notice.

"Hi," he said to the sleeping baby, "I get to be your sempu, okay? And that person in the hammock is sa'nu, and we'll take care of you. A combined effort. We're a team."

At that moment, the tiny baby began to squirm and whine pitifully, and Mosyk looked fearful.

"Endyna…the baby want you."

"Hm?" Endyna raised her head, some of her disheveled hair falling in her face, "funny. I had this dream where you said we were a _team._"

"But she's making _noise_."

* * *

**And what a father he shall be.**


	23. Deleted Scene Nonsense

**So, since many people liked Rough Around the Edges a lot, I decided to post up some of the scenes that didn't fit/didn't make the cut for the story just for some fun and background. I was going to post these as a separate story but that seemed kind of obnoxious :/  
**

**Also, you know where else you can find these scenes? AvatarPrime(dot)net, one of the best Avatar fan forums out there with nice people and great places to discuss the movie and even make predicitons about it's sequels and hang out.**

**Tell 'em Phanny sent you.**

**Or don't.**

**It doesn't matter.**

**SO - here we go, deleted scenes from Rough Around The Edges.  
**

**-Phanny**

**

* * *

****DELETED SCENE ONE:** Y'enit's Words

The sharp, medicinal smell of Ha'ni's hollow assaulted Mosyk's nose the moment he walked in. The smell always made him queasy, having learned to associate the various scents with disease and death rather than healing.

Mosyk the optimist at his finest.

"Y'enit?" He murmured, finally finding his reason for coming. He wanted to see her.

"Child," the old woman looked at him, her golden eyes dull and, Mosyk realized, holding none of the fierceness he had known before. Her voice was hoarse and quiet. "Mosyk, what are you doing here?"

"Visiting you," he said, looking at his feet, "if you want I'll leave-"

"No, no," Y'enit objected, "it's fine. Between you and me, it's very boring in here."

Mosyk smiled a bit, but continued, "when will you be better, Y'enit? I've asked Ha'ni, she won't answer me. You're not afraid of telling me the truth, are you?"

Y'enit frowned, holding back a fit of coughing to speak, "of course not. Mosyk, do you think a little chill will get to me?"

Mosyk didn't look at her. Y'enit swallowed hard, "come here, Mosyk." The young boy sat down next to her.

"Child, everything ends at some point. Rain, wind, and life. You understand that, don't you? Your mother taught you that. Life has to end sometimes, and things have to disappear, otherwise there wouldn't be room for anything new."

Mosyk shook his head, "you won't die, will you Y'enit? Not now..."

"I've lived a long life, Mosyk, and if Eywa decides today, tomorrow, or some other day that she wants me by her side, then I can't say no to her."

Tears ran down Mosyk's face, and he got up, "well she can wait! I still need you here. She already has my real grandmother, she can't take another!"

"Eywa did not take Mo'at to spite you," Y'enit said levelly, "it was her time. Those are selfish thoughts, Mosyk."

"I..." Mosyk couldn't think of a reply. Maybe he was being selfish, but he didn't care! Y'enit wasn't that old, she couldn't be that sick - she had to be all right because he felt like she understood him the most. She wasn't well liked, but she had a good life anyway and was respected at least...

"I should go home." He said shortly, turning away.

"Perhaps you should, you seem tired," Y'enit said, not hiding her frustration with his attitude.

He could only hope he could apologize tomorrow.

**Takes place:** Well...before Y'enit dies.

**Reason for Deletion:** I just didn't like it. The interaction between Y'enit and Mosyk felt forced, and Mosyk just seemed a little too meek and cautious. Plus, he didn't really know Mo'at, she died when he was about two, so he wouldn't have mentioned how attached he had been to her because he wasn't.

And in the chapter after she dies, Neytiri sort of explains death to her son, and I wanted to give Neytiri a bigger part in the story where's she's acting like a mother instead of just disciplining him.

So it just didn't work in the story the way I wanted it to, so I nixed it.

* * *

**DELETED SCENE TWO:** Udrau Makes His Move.

"So..." Udrau muttered, sitting next to Mosyk at dinner that night.

"So?" Mosyk asked curiously, his voiced muffled through his mouth full of food.

"So, what about you and Tanhi, then? I mean, seeing as you and Endyna are a match made by Eywa herself-"

"We are not! She's my friend...and who said that was any of your business anyway?"

"Well I was wondering if you were done, uhm, courting Tanhi - which wasn't going well anyway-"

"Hey!" Mosyk said.

"-maybe I could try?" Udrau pressed on, ignoring Mosyk's protest.

Mosyk was torn. He wasn't interested in Tanhi anymore, to be quite honest, but Udrau just didn't seem right for her, seeing as his history was a little sketchy.

"I'm going to take your silence as a 'go for it'," Udrau said smugly.

Mosyk stuffed his mouth again to keep from replying.

**Takes place:** During chapter 18

**Reason for Deletion:** Humorous, and maybe nice for a little breather for all the stuff that will come up later, but I really needed to get on with the story. Plus, I was grasping at straws to get an argument for Mosyk as to why Udrau shouldn't try and court Tanhi. There was really no legitimate reservations to have.

Don't get me wrong, I adore Udrau, and he turned out to be a much more interesting character than I had assumed he would be, but it was just a little too much filler and not enough substance, I didn't really want to build on any other relationship besides Mosyk and Endyna.

But he does get Tanhi in the end.

* * *

**DELETED SCENE THREE:** Feeding Time

Mosyk walked up to Nyra with trepidation, a few slabs of yerik meat in one hand, the other grabbing a branch near to him to keep him steady on the tree he had climbed to meet her.

"Uhm, here," he held out a slab of meat to her. She sniffed it and stared at him. "What?"

Nyra screeched, and Mosyk realized that, while he was holding it, she couldn't sink her teeth into it properly and would most likely drop it. He tossed it haphazardly into the air.

It flew in the wrong direction from which he had intended. Nyra looked at him dubiously as it fell to the ground.

"Hey, you can fly, you go get it!" He told her, frustrated.

Soon enough, Nyra screeched again and, with one swing of her tail Mosyk was knocked out of the tree and plummeted to the ground, landing in some soft grass.

"Oh, real mature! Go feed yourself!"

Looking at his hand, he realized he had left his other pieces of meat on the branch, leaving Nyra with plenty of food to enjoy.

"Stupid lizard."

**Takes place:** Just before Mosyk and Nyra really bond.

**Reason For Deletion:** This was supposed to show how much Nyra distrusts Mosyk, but it doesn't actually portray that at all. It's just Mosyk being a dumbass and Nyra being cheeky.

Plus, ikran can feed themselves, so...yeah. Unnecessary.

* * *

**Only three, but this was a fun thing to read, right? RIGHT? :D**


End file.
